TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — Temple City Council approved an utility service agreement for the Rowan Data Center in South Temple.
Here is what you should know:
- The center will use a closed-loop system that would use an initial 2,000,000 gallons of water
- The center will have a limit of 4,000 gallons of daily usage
- Neighbors voiced their concerns over potential water contamination and drought contingency plans
Watch the story here:
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Concerns of drought.
“Lake Belton is receding due to the fact we have only had one day of measurable rain in February of 2026.”
Transparency.
“Take the time to be transparent take the time to not gloss over these things. It seems trivial to you, but for us it affects our children.”
And contamination.
“It's not just the data center. We have to control our water else. We're gonna get ourselves to a point we can't recover from.”
Filled the speakers of temple city council chamber as leaders considered a utility service agreement for the rowan data center campus
“We have talked about agreements extensively with the company. We are making sure that the amount of uses are true need and there's no fluff numbers in that.”
The agreement proposes a one time usage of 2,000,000 gallons for the closed loop system and a limit of 4,000 gallons a day for daily usage, but neighbors are worried about the potential need for more in the future taking local resources.
“They said closed loop system doesn't use any extra water, but if you read the fine print, it's until it gets to 84 degrees.We have over 200 days a year of 84 degrees here.So why is this a great place?You're only going to use more water if it's over 84 degrees?”
Sarah Royer is one of the founders of the Facebook group stop temple data centers, she tells 25 News its not about stopping the center just having more information.
"We're just wanting to to stop data centers for now. we need to see what the actual impact is in our community."
City council vote 4-0 to approve the utility service plan.
