Meta data center water cap set at 2.5M gallons a day; average pegged at 480,000
El Paso City Council received a detailed briefing from El Paso Water regarding the long-term water supply and infrastructure for the Meta data center project in Northeast El Paso. The data center is projected to use an average of 480,000 gallons per day, with a maximum allocation of 2.5 million gallons daily, which would be less than 1% of the city's total water usage. No action or vote was expected from the council during the meeting.
The El Paso City Council held a detailed briefing with El Paso Water concerning the long-term water supply and infrastructure in Northeast El Paso, specifically addressing the Meta data center project. The utility's presentation aimed to alleviate concerns regarding the data center's potential water consumption and the area's capacity. El Paso Water's analysis, which included master plans from 2006 and 2009, projected the Meta data center would use an average of 480,000 gallons of water per day.
While an agreement with Meta sets a maximum allocation of 2.5 million gallons daily, the utility clarified this peak usage would likely only occur on extremely hot days (above 117 degrees Fahrenheit) and would constitute less than 1% of El Paso Water's total system usage. The council's meeting was for informational purposes, with no immediate action or vote anticipated on the matter.