Committee adopts substitute to require data centers to report water use, delays enactment to 2029
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Summary
A substitute (HB 496 laid on SB 553) would require data centers with DEQ air permits to register water withdrawals and use data with the State Water Control Board, include reclaimed-water reporting and allow quarterly reporting where monthly measurement is unavailable; the committee reported the bill with substitute and a delayed enactment date of 01/01/2029.
Committee members moved a substitute onto SB 553 (sponsor Senator Sarah Boston) substituting HB 496 (Del. Guzman) to address data‑center water use. The substitute requires any water user providing water to a data center that holds a DEQ air permit to register certain monthly water‑withdrawal and use data with the State Water Control Board. If water is not measured monthly, quarterly totals must be reported.
The sponsor and chair described the measure as creating data and beginning a regulatory process to better quantify how much water data centers consume and to require disclosure of reclaimed water provided to data centers. The committee also adopted an amendment delaying enactment until January 1, 2029 to give time for implementation and alignment with related studies. After clarifying questions from Delegate Weber and others about differences between the substitute and the original bill and confirming appropriate numbering (HB 496), the committee reported the bill with the substitute and amendment on a recorded vote of 16‑3‑1 abstention.
Committee members said they would continue working offline to reconcile precise reporting details and regulatory thresholds before later stages. The bill now proceeds with the substitute and delayed enactment language.