Meta vs. Painted Dunes: What the numbers and water sources show
El Paso Water officials compare Meta's planned data center water usage in El Paso, Texas, to a local golf course, noting the data center's projected daily average of 480,000 gallons is less than the golf course's peak. While the golf course uses reclaimed water, Meta's facility will tap into the city's drinking water system, with a contract capping maximum use at 2.5 million gallons per day.
As El Paso, Texas, prepares for Meta's planned data center, El Paso Water President and CEO John Balliew addressed public concerns about the project's water demand. Balliew stated that the data center's water usage would be comparable to a residential-commercial community or about "a golf course and a half," specifically referencing the city-owned Painted Dunes Golf Course in Northeast El Paso.
According to El Paso Water, Meta's data center is projected to average about 480,000 gallons per day annually, which is less than Painted Dunes' peak usage months, which saw averages of 532,000 to 558,000 gallons per day. However, a key distinction highlighted by Balliew is that Painted Dunes utilizes reclaimed water, whereas Meta's facility will draw from the city's drinking water system because the reclaimed water supply is fully allocated to existing customers. The contract with Meta caps its maximum water use at 2.5 million gallons per day (MGD), a rate that El Paso Water indicates will only be reached during extreme triple-digit temperatures for a few hours a year.
Balliew, during a City Council presentation, suggested that if the same amount of water were used by a golf course, there would be no complaints, implying current public concern over the data center's water footprint. Related reports also indicate tense town hall meetings where residents pressed officials on water and power impacts, and Meta has agreed to new state rules on grid and water impacts set by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.