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Advocates urge Austin task force to address water impacts of data centers; Austin Water says report is coming
Summary
Valerie Menard of the Colorado River Conservancy asked the task force to consider data centerswater use, on‑site reuse, metering and landscaping standards; Austin Water staff said council instructed study and that a report will be issued soon and that site‑development rules require extra review for very large developments.
Valerie Menard, project director for the Colorado River Conservancy (a program of BODER — People Organizing Defense of Earth and Her Resources), told the task force during public comment that the Water Forward plan did not address data centers and urged the task force and Austin Water to plan for their water demand and siting impacts.
Menard asked whether Austin Water requires data centers to use efficient cooling technologies, reclaimed water for nonpotable demands, on‑site water reuse, direct water metering for cooling loads, and drought‑tolerant landscaping. “The water forward plan did not address them. So there’s growing concern about water usage that these data centers require and how Austin Water will manage that,” Menard said.
Kevin Crandon of Austin Water responded that the utility has been engaged in citywide efforts and that several council members issued instructions on the topic about a year and a half ago. Crandon said he expected “a report out shortly on that particular topic” and noted that Austin Water coordinates with Austin Energy and other utilities on related issues. When asked whether projects over 250,000 square feet trigger a special consultation, staff said current site‑development requirements initiate water benchmarking and allow the utility to better understand those uses.
Menard offered the task force the Colorado River Conservancyand allied groupsas potential partners for developing approaches and policy recommendations. Task force members and staff discussed adding the forthcoming data‑center report to a future agenda item so the group could evaluate any water component.
Ending: The exchange ended with staff committing to share the forthcoming report and to consider an agenda item when the document is published, and with the task force expressing interest in pursuing standards and incentives to reduce data‑center water impacts.
