Meta data center water cap set at 2.5M gallons a day; average pegged at 480,000
The El Paso City Council held a briefing on the Meta data center's water usage, where El Paso Water defended its projections, stating the facility would have a minimal impact on the city's overall water demand with a cap of 2.5 million gallons daily. However, a city representative expressed ongoing distrust and concerns regarding future water consumption and potential contamination from the project. The utility clarified that non-residential users would be impacted first during water emergencies.
The El Paso City Council convened for a detailed briefing from El Paso Water regarding long-term water supply and infrastructure planning in Northeast El Paso, specifically focusing on the Meta data center project. John Balliew, President and CEO of El Paso Water, sought to allay public anxiety by asserting that the data center's projected water use would have a "very small impact" on the city's overall water demand. The utility estimates the Meta site will average 480,000 gallons per day, with an agreement setting a maximum water allocation of 2.5 million gallons daily.
Balliew presented historical master plans for the Northeast area, highlighting that previous projections from 2006 and 2009 for residential and commercial developments anticipated water demands of 2.3 million and 3.7 million gallons per day, respectively. He argued that Meta's expected consumption is comparable to, or even less than, what had already been planned for the region. The 2.5 million gallon maximum, he noted, would likely only be reached during periods of extreme heat, with Meta's overall usage expected to be less than 1% of El Paso's total water consumption.
Despite these assurances, City Representative Josh Acevedo, whose district includes parts of northeast El Paso, voiced significant skepticism, stating he has "zero trust in Meta" and expressing concerns that the project's growth could lead to greater water needs and issues of clean water contamination. Balliew addressed the contamination fears by explaining that El Paso's drinking water comes from separate sources (wells or treated Rio Grande water) and would not mix with any discharge from Meta. He also clarified that in the event of a drought or water emergency, non-residential customers, such as the data center, would be the first to face restrictions to minimize impact on residential users.