Residents Urge Moratorium and Transparency as Data‑Center Proposals Multiply

During the public‑comment and public‑hearing portions of the Feb. 24 meeting, several residents, farmers and technical experts urged the commissioners to require more information or pause approvals for projects that draw large volumes of groundwater. Speakers cited Texas Water Development Board monitoring showing declines across local aquifers and described neighbors’ wells going dry, with costs for drilling new wells cited as high as $26,000.

One resident, repeating testimony introduced earlier, said the county must release the full abatement agreement including duration, percentage and estimated revenue loss so the public can meaningfully evaluate financial impacts. “Responsible development requires responsible information, and residents deserve the full picture,” Lehi Rodriguez said. A retired industrial water‑treatment professional, Richard Ashcraft, called for clarity on processor cooling methods and whether industrial users would receive priority in water or energy curtailments during drought.

Multiple speakers asked the court to consider a temporary moratorium on new high‑volume industrial water users — including data centers — until comprehensive cumulative impact assessments using Texas Water Development Board data are completed and published. Commissioners noted county authority over land use is limited by state law and that special utility districts and water providers have statutory duties to serve, but several also said they would not support incentives without signed, verifiable water‑supply commitments from the applicant.