Howard Lutnick claims data centers do not use water

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has claimed that data centers do not use water, characterizing reports to the contrary as propaganda from adversaries intended to slow American progress. Lutnick stated that the primary consumer of water in the United States is cattle and argued that the economic benefits of data center construction will improve surrounding communities.

This statement contradicts previous acknowledgments regarding the resource requirements of AI infrastructure. Industry data indicates significant water usage for cooling purposes; for instance, Google reported consuming 7.7 billion gallons in 2024, while Amazon’s AWS division used approximately 2.5 billion gallons. Critics have noted the discrepancy between Lutnick’s current stance and his prior comments acknowledging that these facilities require immense volumes of water.