Data centers must be open about water use if they want public OK
Public opposition to data centers in Texas is growing due to a lack of transparency regarding water and electricity usage. State lawmakers are taking notice, with calls for investigations into non-compliant operators and proposals for statewide policies, regulations, and a moratorium on new data center construction. A recent poll indicates significant public opposition to data center development.
Texans are increasingly vocal in their opposition to data center development, primarily due to concerns over water and electricity consumption and a perceived lack of transparency from the industry. A recent University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll revealed 56% opposition among registered voters, with higher rates in rural and suburban areas. This public apprehension has prompted state lawmakers, including Rep. Trent Ashby and Rep. Cody Harris, to address the issue, particularly after the Texas Water Development Board reported that only 17% of data centers complied with a survey seeking water usage data.
Rep. Harris, chair of the Texas House Committee on Natural Resources, expressed strong disapproval of this non-compliance and suggested the attorney general's office investigate. Over 900 public comments submitted to his committee overwhelmingly called for statewide policies, regulations, and even a moratorium on data center construction until infrastructure demands are accurately assessed. A report from the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas further underscored the urgent need for greater transparency and coordinated planning to align private investment with public resource stewardship, especially given that some large-load facilities are planned for water-stressed regions.
However, the industry's response has been mixed. Dan Diorio, Vice President of State Policy for the Data Center Coalition, resisted state regulation of cooling systems during a House committee hearing. Concurrently, a new organization, the Texas National Security Council, led by Steve McCraw, has emerged to counter opposition, controversially attributing public anxieties about water and energy to misinformation from China without offering specific evidence. Lawmakers like Rep. Brad Buckley warned the industry that continued non-compliance would inevitably lead to state-imposed, "one-size-fits-all" solutions.