Most data centers ignore Texas surveys about their water use
State officials in Texas are struggling to collect crucial data on data centers' water and electricity consumption through surveys. Less than a third of surveyed companies have responded, leading lawmakers to question the reliability of the information for future policy decisions. Concerns are rising about the impact of proposed data center projects on the state's water resources and infrastructure costs.
Texas state officials are facing challenges in gathering data on water and energy consumption from data centers across the state. During a legislative hearing in Austin, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) reported that less than a third of companies responded to their surveys. State Rep. Brad Buckley criticized the low participation, calling the data unreliable for future policy-making.
Lawmakers are seeking greater transparency as Texas experiences a boom in proposed data center projects, potentially challenging Virginia as the top market. Governor Greg Abbott has already directed public utilities to prevent infrastructure costs from being passed to customers and recommended legislative action, including requiring efficient water recirculation systems. Despite industry groups like the Data Center Coalition offering to help improve response rates by suggesting aggregated and anonymized data, previous mandatory surveys from the TWDB have also seen low compliance, with minimal penalties for non-response.
State Rep. Jeffrey Barry expressed concern that policymakers are relying on "sparse information" to make critical long-term decisions about increasingly scarce water resources. Google was mentioned for its commitment to using 100% air-cooled, closed-loop cooling systems for new data centers, indicating some industry movement towards more efficient water use, but the overall lack of data remains a significant hurdle for state planning.