Temple clarifies ownership of groundwater well after data center controversy
The City of Temple is clarifying ownership of a groundwater well after public concerns about its connection to a data center project. The well was built by Rowan as part of a deal for their now-defunct Moriah data center, with the city owning the well and water rights. Temple now plans to use the well for a larger water conservation project, requiring an operating permit.
The City of Temple is addressing concerns from taxpayers regarding the ownership of a groundwater well and its previous connection to a data center development. According to Adrianne Carbajal of Six News, the city owns a well adjacent to Rowan's Moriah project, which was initially slated to be a data center. An agreement between the city and Rowan involved Rowan drilling the well on city property and improving local infrastructure, with the city agreeing to reimburse Rowan $4.8 million over three years.
The agreement also granted Rowan's data center access to up to 830,000 gallons of water per day from the well, under contractual limits to avoid impacting other city water customers. However, Rowan's Moriah Data Center project did not materialize as planned, and Rowan no longer intends to use the well for water. Despite this, the City of Temple retains full ownership of the well and its water rights, as Rowan's contribution was to build and dedicate it as public infrastructure.
The city now plans to incorporate the well into a larger water conservation project. To proceed, Temple must first secure an operating permit from the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District, a process that will be further detailed by the District's general manager.