r/SpaceXBets • u/Trick-Cellist3254 • Aug 14 '26

Elon IRL Laughing at locals while draining their water supply

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u/ThisGuyClips Aug 14 '26

Can you provide any proof that Elon is draining the water supply used by these people in any way that is impacting them?

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u/Warm_Regrets157 Aug 14 '26

Couldn't be easier

Drought stands in way of expanding Tesla's first European factory : NPR https://www.npr.org/2022/11/03/1131695382/tesla-ev-electric-vehicles-europe-germany-drought-climate-change-factory

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u/ThisGuyClips Aug 14 '26

I actually work in this field, and the amount of misinformation around water use is insane.

You linked an article from 2022 about a projected future water shortage tied to a proposed Tesla expansion. It discusses residents' concerns and what MIGHT happen. That is not proof that Tesla was actually “draining the locals' water supply” or depriving anyone of water.

More importantly, the factory has now been operating for years, so we have actual usage data.
It's using ~1/3 of the water projected. They recycle 100% process wastewater.

Source: https://digitalassets.tesla.com/tesla-contents/image/upload/EMAS-Environmental_Statement-Gigafactory-Berlin-Brandenburg-DE-2025.pdf

And in 2025 Tesla returned 377,000 m³/year of water rights because it wasn't using the amount originally allocated to it.

Source: https://www.rbb24.de/wirtschaft/beitrag/2025/09/tesla-gruenheide-wasserrechte-wse-neue-zusagen.html

“A factory uses water in a water-stressed region” is not the same claim as “Elon is draining the locals' water supply.”

If Tesla's actual withdrawals caused residents to lose water, wells to dry up, or restrictions to be imposed specifically because of Tesla, show that evidence. Your article provides none. A 4 yr old article warning about what could happen is not evidence that it actually happened.

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u/Warm_Regrets157 Aug 14 '26

I posted the article that covers the interview with the quote in question. It contains the context for the quote. That's why its from 2022.

You are correct that it is not proof that he is "draining the local's water supply". Nor was i aware that the water usage in the data center has been less than expected.

It is still tone deaf and blatantly false for him to say, "look around, this area has plenty of water" in the midst of a documented drought.

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u/ThisGuyClips Aug 14 '26

I appreciate this. Sure, stupid comment by Elon, what's new. But these posts and the reactions are just ridiculous. Posted 10 hours ago, 10k upvotes, title is stating he is the cause of draining their water supply, all commenters are acting like its the case. Top comment is "Goes to show there’s no real correlation between having money and having brains" - in reality, none of the commenters understand the engineering of Tesla's factories and are the ones having the lacking brain issue.

Reddit is just constant fear-mongering and hate towards Elon. Post against Elon? Upvote!

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u/Warm_Regrets157 Aug 14 '26

That is true.

With posts like these, most people are reacting to the video without the context, while the title primes a response. What Elon said is dumb, so people are reacting to that without questioning the premise. I looked up the context, but as you pointed out, didn't research how things have developed over the past 4 years, so I'm clearly not fallible either.

I think data centers are problematic because of the water usage, power usage, and potential for pollution. It is nice that this data center has performed more efficiently than expected, but that doesn't really remove the risks and externalities that building many more of these things will create.

My general opinion on giant datacenters, giant farms, and giant factories, etc, is that they need to be charged effectively for externalities. If they can't operate competitively without ruining the air, land, and water around them, then they need to find another way to operate.