Two data centers in San Antonio have used 463 million gallons of water in the past two years.
The Alamo City facilities, owned by Microsoft and the Army Corps, have drained water from the surrounding area despite difficult drought conditions throughout Texas.
Why It Matters
In 2025, data centers across the state are projected to use 49 billion gallons of water, enough to supply millions of households, primarily for cooling massive banks of servers that power generative AI and cloud computing. As Texas attracts tech giants with business-friendly policies and an independent energy grid, water resources have had to keep pace with both population growth and high-technology infrastructure.
The surge in the data centers’ water use comes as Texas endures prolonged drought, with about a quarter of the state still experiencing dry conditions despite intermittent heavy rain and flooding.
What To Know
In San Antonio, data centers operated by Microsoft and the Army Corps consumed 463 million gallons between 2023 and 2024, even as local residents were restricted to watering lawns once per week under Stage 3 drought rules…