San Angelo residents press City Hall on data centers’ water use, impacts
San Angelo City Council approved a new water use ordinance for future data centers, requiring water recycling and limiting city water usage. This decision comes amidst ongoing resident concerns regarding water availability, environmental impacts, and transparency of data center projects.
San Angelo, Texas residents continue to voice concerns at City Hall regarding the water usage and environmental impacts of data centers, despite recent actions by the City Council. On Tuesday, the San Angelo City Council approved a new water use ordinance specifically for future data centers. This ordinance mandates that data centers implement water recycling cooling systems and sets limits on their consumption of city water.
During public comment, residents like Heather Wylie warned of "larger environmental and community impacts" from hyperscale data centers, citing broader national trends. Ali Devereaux emphasized the need to prioritize water for people, ecosystems, and agriculture over data centers. While the recent vote does not authorize any specific data center project, it establishes a new regulatory layer as discussions about future development continue. The next City Council meeting is scheduled for July 7.