Community Concerns1 of 8
💧
Community Concerns — 1/8
Water
The Claim
The project will use water every day like a traditional evaporative-cooled data center.
Why People Believe It
Residents fear reservoir depletion, noting Texas faces a severe 12 million acre-foot water deficit.
What San Angelo Documents Say
The draft water ordinance requires closed-loop cooling that eliminates continuous withdrawals for heat rejection; the city Q&A says daily cooling use is near zero in steady-state operation and that water demand is driven mainly by initial fill, maintenance refill, and minor makeup.
Supporting Evidence
- ✓Initial fill cap: 15.0 gal/sq ft
- ✓Annual makeup water: 3% cap
- ✓Planned drain/refill: no more than once every 3 years
- ✓Air-cooled technology eliminates evaporative loss
What Remains Unknown
- ?Long-term maintenance costs and refill frequency
- ?Actual water consumption under peak load scenarios
- ?Impact of drought conditions on makeup water availability
What to Monitor & Enforce
- →Compliance with closed-loop system requirements
- →Annual water usage reports and audits
- →Maintenance refill frequency and volume
- →Emergency drain procedures and protocols