3 Million Gallons Wasted: Bitcoin Data Center Blamed For Massive Leak
News Clip0:38Island News·El Reno, Canadian County, OK·8/31/2026
A data center operated by Athlon BT in El Reno, Oklahoma, was identified as the source of a massive water line leak that wasted over 3 million gallons and led to local school closures. City officials investigating the incident discovered multiple code violations at the facility, including severe drainage issues and expired building permits. The city is now addressing the implications of the water loss and regulatory non-compliance.
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Gov: El Reno City Officials
A massive water line leak in El Reno, Oklahoma, has cost local residents more than 3 million gallons of water and forced public schools to shut down for two days. City officials traced the devastating water loss to a privately owned fire hydrant at a local data center operated by Athlon BT, a tech firm that manages facilities for artificial intelligence networking, cloud computing, and Bitcoin mining. While repairing the water line and investigating the source of the massive leak, city officials uncovered multiple code violations at the tech facility. According to local reporting, investigators found severe drainage issues and expired building permits on the property.