Leaked Document Reveals Amazon’s Secretive Water Use Strategy in Data Centers | PRIMENEWSNOW

Amazon’s Water Usage: A Closer Look

Amazon has been strategizing to keep the public unaware of the full extent of its datacenters’ water consumption, according to a leaked internal document.

Comparing Industry Giants

As the largest datacenter owner globally, Amazon surpasses competitors like Microsoft and Google. The company is expanding its capacity significantly to support its AI initiatives, despite concerns about the water needed to cool its extensive circuitry.

Transparency and Criticism

While Amazon claims to manage its water use efficiently, it faces criticism for its lack of transparency. Unlike Microsoft and Google, Amazon has never disclosed its server farms’ water consumption publicly.

Internal Strategies and Public Perception

Amazon’s cloud computing division reportedly chose to highlight a smaller water usage figure, excluding certain consumption aspects, to protect its reputation, as revealed by a memo seen by SourceMaterial and the Guardian.

Water Consumption Figures

In 2021, Amazon’s total water consumption reached 105 billion gallons, comparable to the usage of 958,000 US households, a city larger than San Francisco, according to the memo.

Company Response

Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan labeled the document as “obsolete” and claimed it misrepresented the company’s current water strategy.

Water Positive Campaign

In November 2022, Amazon Web Services launched the “Water Positive” campaign, aiming to return more water than it uses by 2030. However, this initiative only covers AWS, while Amazon’s overall water consumption remains significantly higher.

Selective Disclosure Concerns

The memo suggested that full transparency could lead to negative headlines, such as “Amazon hides its water consumption.” Executives decided to focus on primary water use, approximately 7.7 billion gallons annually, to avoid reputational damage.

Scientific Perspective

Experts criticized the exclusion of secondary water use, which includes water for electricity generation. Shaolei Ren, an associate professor at the University of California, Riverside, emphasized the importance of including both primary and secondary use for accurate environmental assessments.

Future Plans and Challenges

Amazon’s Water Positive campaign continues without accounting for secondary use, and the company maintains confidentiality over its total water consumption. As tech companies invest in AI, Amazon is building datacenters in some of the world’s driest regions, as reported by SourceMaterial and the Guardian.

Offsetting and Accountability

Amazon’s strategy includes “water replenishment” projects, some in collaboration with Water.org. However, experts argue that these efforts do not fully offset the company’s water footprint.

Industry Standards and Influence

Amazon is reportedly influencing industry standards to downplay its water use. The company has funded initiatives to develop methodologies for quantifying watershed restoration benefits.

Indirect Water Footprint

Amazon’s indirect water use, including agricultural supply chains, represents about 90% of its total footprint. Despite this, the company has chosen not to disclose these figures.

Internal Criticism

Nathan Wangusi, a former Amazon water sustainability manager, criticized the company’s approach, stating that it undermines trust rather than enhancing profitability.