TX faces major water supply woes as big tech's takeover continues
New research from the University of Texas at Austin warns that data center water usage in Texas could dramatically increase, potentially consuming 3% to 9% of the state's total water by 2040. This projection comes amidst ongoing drought conditions and growing concerns over Texas' water supply, highlighted by developments like the Skybox Power Campus in Hutto.
New research from the University of Texas at Austin reveals that data center water consumption in Texas could surge to between 3% and 9% of the state's total water use by 2040. This significant increase is projected as data center development continues to rapidly expand across the state, exacerbating concerns amidst an ongoing drought and existing water supply challenges. Currently, data centers account for less than 1% of Texas' water usage.
Researchers based their forecasts on factors such as anticipated industry growth, the specific cooling technologies employed by data centers, and the energy sources used to power these facilities. This projected water demand from data centers could potentially surpass the water consumed by Texas' manufacturing sector, which currently accounts for 7% of statewide water use. An example of ongoing development is the Skybox Power Campus, a four-million-square-foot facility under construction in Hutto, near Austin, designed for 600 megawatts of power.