Residents urge court to preserve Escarate Park duck pond and press county on water use, Meta data centers

Scores of residents used the public‑comment period at the Commissioners Court meeting July 27 to press the court to preserve the duck pond at Escarate (Azcarate) Park and to oppose water allocations they say will favor large data‑center projects.

Jacqueline Horn, who identified herself as an independent rescuer and East‑side resident, told the court the duck pond is the only body of water nearby for families and domesticated ducks dumped there; she asked commissioners "Please keep our water for us" and warned that removing the pond would put ducks and wildlife at risk. Another commenter, Claudia Contreras Siller, said wildlife rescue operators told her that domesticated ducks removed from the pond would likely be euthanized and submitted a petition with “over 200 signatures” opposing removal.

Public comment also connected park plans to broader water concerns tied to proposed AI data centers. Organizer Saul Gonzales, representing Sembrando Esperanza, urged the court to hold industrial facilities such as refineries accountable and to address community questions about Meta‑linked data centers — specifically water use, air quality and energy demand — and asked the court to act rather than wait. Gonzales told the court residents “have not seen meaningful actions” on large proposed data centers and asked the court to examine who controls local water resources.

County staff later indicated follow‑up on park outreach and reiterated that several items were being postponed so the court could review community input. Commissioners agreed to keep the water‑rate and technical items on the agenda for further study. The court did not take an immediate vote to remove or preserve the pond during the meeting.