Amazon strategized about keeping its datacentres’ full water use secret, leaked document shows

Amazon has been strategizing to keep its datacentres' full water usage confidential, as revealed in a leaked internal memo. Despite operating the largest number of datacentres globally, the company has faced criticism for not disclosing comprehensive water consumption figures, unlike competitors Microsoft and Google. The memo indicated a preference for reporting only a smaller primary water usage figure to mitigate reputational risks, while avoiding transparency about secondary water use associated with electricity generation. Experts criticized this selective disclosure, emphasizing the importance of including all water usage for accurate environmental accountability.