Texas green-lights water plan lacking data center forecasts
Texas water officials approved the 2027 State Water Plan, opting not to include specific forecasts or historical data on data center water usage. This decision was based on staff recommendations citing the late stage of the five-year planning cycle. The board stated that methodologies are being developed to include this data in the 2032 plan.
The Texas Water Development Board on Thursday approved the initial 2027 State Water Plan, despite denying a petition to incorporate forecasts and historical data on water usage by data centers. Board staff recommended against the inclusion, citing the advanced stage of the state's five-year water planning cycle.
The approved plan currently lacks specific data regarding large-scale digital infrastructure's water demands. However, Breann Hunter, an attorney with the water board, indicated that the agency is actively developing methodologies to differentiate water usage by data centers and cryptocurrency miners for the subsequent 2032 state water plan. Brady Franks, a board member, assured that the omission from the current plan does not signify a lack of consideration for the issue within the agency.