South DFW News

Google’s plan to use nearly 1.5 billion gallons of water to cool its data center has sparked controversy over the company’s proposed new facility near Red Oak.

Google uses evaporative cooling in its data centers to keep the computers within operating termperatures. Evaporating water into the surrounding air is less energy-intensive and cheaper than other forms of cooling, but also requires the use of a lot of water, according to the Daily Herald.

For the facility Google plans to build near Red Oak, a court filing shows it using approximately 1.46 billion gallons of water each year by 2021. That's 10% of the approximately 15 billion gallons that the Texas Water Development Board data anticipated would be needed for all of Red Oak and the surrounding Ellis County.

Google’s desired use has led to a battle with local water utility Rockett Special Utility District, which denied Google’s initial request while saying it does not have the capacity to meet the company’s needs. Google responded by asking the Texas Public Utility Commission to strip Rockett of its federal designation to be the sole water provider to the property where Google plans to build.

In contesting Google’s request, Rockett claimed a lack of information and vagueness in the initial request it made and in subsequent requests for an assessment from the utility.

In addition, Rockett is afforded special federal status in relation to a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan. Rockett has filed suit against the utility commission for failing to dismiss Google’s petition out-of-hand.

Red Oak City Manager Todd Fuller said residents were informed of Google’s plans and that, with the city’s full capacity not in use, there was no concern about the data center’s impact on water or other resources.

Yet, the city has a web page dedicated to water conservation, advocating that residents beware of use.