Texas Senators Pressed to Require Water-Use Disclosure from Data Centers and Fossil Plants
The Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter is calling on Texas lawmakers to compel data centers to disclose their water consumption and to factor in the heavy water demands of gas- and coal-fired power plants that supply them. Testimony before a Senate committee highlights that data centers use about 95 gallons per megawatt-hour, while gas and coal plants use 238 and 409 gallons respectively. The group wants state agencies to incorporate these projections into long-term water planning.
Texas’s existing fossil and nuclear fleet has consumed roughly 100 billion gallons annually for nearly a decade, with gas plants alone using 56 billion gallons in 2024. Data centers now draw 15% of ERCOT’s electricity, and the connection queue holds requests for an additional 426 gigawatts. Because coal and gas plants require steam and cooling, their water intensity far exceeds that of wind and solar, which the EIA does not even track. The Sierra Club’s testimony urges the PUC and TWDB to fold these projections into long-term state water plans, noting that coal’s 12% power share produced 31% of electricity-related water consumption.
Mandatory water-use disclosure could reshape how Texas balances rapid tech growth against finite water supplies. If adopted, reporting requirements may force data center developers and utilities to account for indirect water costs, potentially slowing new projects or shifting them toward renewable pairing. Rural communities and ratepayers could feel pressure through higher water prices or infrastructure strain, while state planners gain better tools to avoid shortages. The outcome may set a precedent for other arid states facing similar data-driven demand.