Mastodawn

Radek 🐧4d ago

Tech companies defeat bill as AI drains local water supplies https://www.theolympus.net/13531/

Washington House Bill 2515, which aimed to make data centers pay for their own grid infrastructure and use clean energy, failed in March 2026. Despite passing the House, the bill was defeated in the Senate following heavy lobbying from tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon. They will keep using clean water and electricity but bill needs to be paid by locals.

Tech companies defeat bill as AI drains local water supplies

Washington state is home to about 126 artificial intelligence data centers. These data centers evaporate millions of gallons of freshwater each day to provide cooling, but at the cost of draining local resources. The rapid expansion of these data centers strains regional drinking water supplies, as well as increasing blackout risk due to the high...

The Olympus

Toot Terrorist 5d ago

@nixCraft It may seem bad, but what if they give you a few "AI tokens" for your suffering?

https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-compute-compensation-software-engineers-greg-brockman-2026-3

Silicon Valley is buzzing about this new idea: AI compute as compensation

AI inference emerges as a critical factor in tech compensation, impacting engineer productivity and Silicon Valley hiring dynamics.

Business Insider

Thomas Dorr 5d ago

@nixCraft
Looks like municipalities will have to do it on their own?

kratzen_blue 5d ago

@nixCraft yay! I love paying hundreds more a month because data centers are opening up in my area! I'm so glad my money will be used to fund a techbro ponzi scheme! It's great! Plus now I get to watch in real time as everything gets worse! I'm so happy! Never been better!

MrGrumpyMonkey 5d ago

@nixCraft This is what happens when crooks happily take bribes. Gatta love how wimpy the US government officials truly are. Just a bunch if pencil pushers. I hate this place.

Olle Gladsø 5d ago

@nixCraft Fuck them!!

contrasocial 5d ago

Welp, make it known to your local and state reps that you do not want AI industry in your state I guess and will help primary them if they try.

FossThought 5d ago

@nixCraft Jesus Frustrating-ass Christ...

Cue Doris Day ...

"Doing what come naturally ..."

Once again proving my opinion that America is a Plutoligarchy ...

gunstick 5d ago

@nixCraft
I suppose locals can also drop bombs on the data centers?
It's a self defense situation.

@gunstick @nixCraft May as well put those avalanche mitigation howitzers to work in the off season

@nixCraft
F government and billionaires.

Luna chan 5d ago

@nixCraft We need to boycott these companies.

@nixCraft Would be a damn shame if the municipality cut them off.

Kevin Russell 4d ago

Nope.

Go save your water, fuck the bribed politicians.

Spyware and jobstealer and counterfeiter aren't just making your life shitty, theyre taking your precious water.

Say no in every way you can. There are instructions for saying no in a wide variety of ways in film and song. Be kind not violent, be smart not angry, be careful not reckless.

Be strong.

#seattle #washington #au #data #water #spyware #enshittification

AI is Woke ™4d ago

@nixCraft I hear that there is a group in West Asia that has a knack for whacking data centers.