Texas Senate committee to hear testimony on data centers’ water use, transparency
The Texas Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee is holding a hearing to discuss data centers' water consumption and the need for greater transparency from local water providers. The committee will also examine how to prevent industrial growth from increasing water costs for Texans and farmers. This hearing follows previous restrictions on data centers imposed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
The Texas Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee is set to convene at the Texas Capitol to hear testimony regarding data centers' water usage and its potential impact on Texans. Lawmakers will specifically examine the high-consumption cooling technologies used by data centers and discuss the necessity for increased transparency from local water providers.
Key concerns include keeping water affordable for both Texans and farmers amidst industrial growth. This initiative follows Gov. Greg Abbott's prior imposition of restrictions on data centers, a move that President Donald Trump has publicly questioned, arguing that communities should embrace data centers for job creation. Vice President JD Vance has also weighed in, suggesting that data centers should contribute power to the grid rather than solely consuming it, to mitigate public concerns over utility bills.