Haines City Data Center Plans Stall Over Water Shortage
Haines City's proposed hyperscale data center is stalled because the city lacks sufficient potable water capacity to support its 150,000 gallons per day demand. The city needs the Southwest Florida Water Management District to approve an increase in its water allocation before the developer, Cielo Digital Infrastructure, can proceed with formal applications or construction.
A proposed hyperscale data center in Haines City, Florida, developed by Texas-based Cielo Digital Infrastructure, has stalled due to the city's inability to provide the necessary water supply. The project, planned for approximately 74 acres near Marion Road and State Road 544 East, would require an estimated 150,000 gallons of potable water daily, a demand exceeding Haines City's current capacity.
City officials have indicated that no formal site plans or zoning requests can be processed until the Southwest Florida Water Management District approves an increase in the city's water allocation, a permit modification Haines City has been seeking since 2022. The developer's request for water has been incorporated into this pending modification, which may require board-level approval and public noticing.
Local sentiment is divided, with some residents and business owners anticipating job creation, while others express anxiety over the strain on existing infrastructure, including wells, sewer lines, and stormwater systems. The project remains in an early, "what if" phase, awaiting the crucial water district approval to advance.