City staff closing the loop on data center questions
Fort Worth officials discussed proposed data center water-use regulations at a Water and Wastewater Capital Improvements Project Citizens Advisory Committee meeting. The city favors closed-loop cooling systems, which use substantially less water than evaporative systems, and is considering meter, impact-fee and wastewater-disposal safeguards.
Fort Worth’s Water and Wastewater Capital Improvements Project Citizens Advisory Committee reviewed the city’s proposed approach to data center water demand. Water Department Director Chris Harder said Fort Worth supports closed-loop cooling and has included a closed-loop requirement in its design requirements, while evaporative cooling systems could consume 4 million to 6 million gallons monthly compared with roughly 300,000 to 1 million gallons for closed-loop systems.
Officials also discussed safeguards for water-meter sizing, potential impact fees and infrastructure upgrades, and the handling of wastewater discharged or hauled from data centers. The meeting included updates on broader water and wastewater projects, including the Lake Arlington lift station and force main and the Mary’s Creek Water Reclamation Facility, but no specific data center project or developer was identified.