Hays County Commissioners Court enacts 180-day moratorium on high-water use projects including data centers
The Hays County Commissioners Court approved a 180-day moratorium on industrial high water use projects, including data centers, due to drought concerns and potential groundwater impacts. This pause also establishes a new review board to evaluate groundwater impacts and signifies the county's stance against accepting tax incentives from data center developers.
The Hays County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a 180-day pause on new approvals for industrial high-water use projects, such as data centers, citing concerns about ongoing drought and potential groundwater impacts. This decision, made at a June 23 meeting, was the second attempt to pass such a resolution, initially brought forward in February by Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra.
The resolution also establishes a High-Water Demand Development Review Board, including Commissioners Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe and Morgan Hammer, to assess the groundwater effects of proposed developments. Additionally, Hays County will no longer accept tax incentives from data center developers, asserting its responsibility to protect public health and natural resources given limited state-level regulatory frameworks for electricity and water consumption reporting.
Residents, like San Marcos resident Jessica Bunting, voiced concerns about the significant water usage of data centers, stating that one facility's daily consumption could equal that of 915 Hays County residents.