A Texas law is being used to shield data center water usage from public records requests, sparking concerns about transparency. The law, written by Texas State Representative Diego Bernal, was intended to protect individuals and families’ water usage data from payday lenders, but is now being applied to data centers.

Local Impact

In the San Antonio area, data centers are rapidly expanding, and the public is being denied access to information about their water usage. A recent request for water usage records from the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) was denied due to the law.

Residents, such as Davin Hicks, are concerned about the lack of transparency and the potential impact on the environment. Hicks started a petition to move a planned data center in Cibolo, citing concerns about water consumption and the lack of information available to the public.

Statewide Debate

The issue is part of a larger debate about the growing demands that data centers place on Texas’ electric grid and water resources. Lawmakers are examining the issue, and some are calling for greater transparency and regulation.

State Rep. Cody Harris said, ‘The transparency of utilization of resources shouldn’t be optional.’ Bernal, the author of the law, agrees, saying that data centers are ‘doing tremendous damage to Texas, to our water supply, to air quality,’ and that the public has a right to know more about their operations.

Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.