State lawmakers hear testimony on water use in data centers
The Texas Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs held a seven-hour hearing in Austin to discuss water usage by data centers. This hearing precedes the next legislative session, where lawmakers are expected to consider bills regulating data center development. QTS Data Centers testified about their use of closed-loop, water-free cooling systems in their Texas facilities.
The Texas Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs convened a seven-hour hearing in Austin to receive testimony regarding water consumption by data centers. The discussion occurred in anticipation of the upcoming legislative session in January 2027, during which state lawmakers are expected to review potential bills aimed at regulating data center development.
State Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) emphasized the responsibility to provide infrastructure that supports Texas's leadership aspirations while minimizing costs to consumers. He expressed optimism for responsible data center developments, suggesting that irresponsible projects would not advance.
Ryan Kuithe, senior vice president of operations at QTS Data Centers, testified that the growth in the data center industry is largely driven by AI, alongside increasing demands for streaming, cloud computing, and cloud storage. Kuithe highlighted QTS's commitment to water conservation, stating that all data centers built by the company since 2019, including every purpose-built facility in Texas, utilize closed-loop, water-free cooling systems. He claimed this approach has averted the use of 7.5 billion gallons of water compared to traditional evaporative methods.