Santa Cruz County Watchdog

The phrase “lies, damned lies, and statistics” was popularized by Mark Twain in his 1907 work Chapters from My Autobiography. Statistics are not inherently lies, but they can be used to create misleading or incorrect conclusions through data manipulation, data selection, or the improper use of statistical methods.

In the South32 Landowner Agreement contract proposal sent to residents, South32 states that they are the ‘Final Arbiter’ as to whether they are responsible for changes to a landowner’s water well level and/or water quality. As final arbiter, South32 decides what data is used, how the data is segmented, and what statistical methods are used when determining who is responsible for changes in water level and/or water quality.

Clearly, South32 has a vested interest in the outcome of any discussion regarding water availability or water quality, just as landowners have a vested interest in any discussion regarding water availability or water quality. However, landowners may not have the educational background, training, or access to the same tools and statistical methods as South32 which puts landowners at a disadvantage when interpreting data or determining responsibility.

Therefore, a more reasonable approach would be to use a mutually agreed upon third party hydrologist, paid for at South32’s expense, to determine who, if anyone, is responsible for changes in water level and/or water quality. Using a mutually agreed upon third party hydrologist will help ensure that data interpretation and conclusions are unbiased towards either South32 of a landowner.