Meta data center: utility affirms they have the water
During a City Council meeting, the President and CEO of El Paso Water affirmed that the utility has sufficient water to supply Meta's data center in the Northeast. He equated the data center's water usage to that of a golf course or large residential development, minimizing its impact on future water supply. The utility maintains that its 50-year plan accounts for such projects, ensuring no contamination of drinkable water.
During a recent El Paso City Council meeting, the President and CEO of El Paso Water addressed concerns regarding the water supply for Meta's new data center in the city's Northeast.
The utility's chief stated that the data center is viewed as a standard customer within their service area, and as a regulated water utility in Texas, they are obligated to provide service if water is available. He drew a comparison, noting that if the same amount of water were used by a residential development or a golf course, it would likely not elicit complaints. The CEO emphasized that the data center's impact on the overall water supply for future generations of El Paso is minimal, and the utility has strategies, including new sources of supply, to manage demand from this and other customers.
He further clarified that El Paso Water's plan covers the next 50 years, confirming that there is enough water for that timeline, even with the data center project in mind. Additionally, he assured the council and the public that the project would not contaminate drinkable water. The water usage anticipated for the Meta data center is reportedly less than what was projected in the utility's 2009 master plan.