As Texas faces historic drought conditions, tech-driven demand is quietly emptying the state’s reservoirs.
Are Texas data centers draining the water supply dangerously fast?
Texas data centers are under fire after new data revealed they are consuming tens of billions of gallons of water during one of the worst droughts in recent memory. In 2025 alone, these facilities—many operated by tech giants like Microsoft—are projected to consume over 49 billion gallons of water, raising alarm over sustainability, regulation, and public access to future water reserves. The situation has ignited calls for oversight as communities face restrictions, but data centers continue tapping into strained resources without limitation.
A Deepening Crisis Hidden in Server Farms
In San Antonio, two major data centers—operated by Microsoft and the U.S. Army Corps—reportedly consumed 463 million gallons of water in just two years. That’s equivalent to the annual consumption of thousands of homes. This revelation comes as Stage 3 drought restrictions have limited local residents to watering their lawns just once per week.
The water, primarily used for cooling massive server banks powering AI and cloud services, is evaporated and lost permanently, raising serious environmental and ethical concerns.
But the scale doesn’t end in San Antonio. The Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) estimates Texas data centers will consume nearly 50 billion gallons in 2025, and a staggering 399 billion gallons annually by 2030—amounting to 6.6% of the entire state’s projected water usage.
No Oversight, No Limits—Just Thirsty Machines
Unlike electricity, where Senate Bill 6 allows the state to cut power to high-usage facilities during emergencies, no law exists to regulate water usage by data centers in Texas.
That’s sparked concern from policy analysts. “These centers are showing up in water-stressed regions without any requirement to consult with local communities,” said Margaret Cook, a water policy expert at HARC. “They’re essentially using future water allocations today—at the public’s expense.”
Many of these facilities use evaporative cooling, a process that consumes millions of gallons daily and returns nothing to the system. Large-scale data centers now consume up to 4.5 million gallons per day, equal to the daily needs of over 15,000 Texas households.
