'Once we run out of [water], we can't get it back': Texas residents urge pause on data center

At a Fort Worth City Council meeting earlier this month, Texas residents turned out in force to challenge zoning changes tied to a proposed data center, saying the project raises questions about water use, pollution, utility bills, and whether city leaders are acting in the public's best interest.

One message was especially concerning: "Once we run out of [water], we can't get it back."

What's happening?

The debate drew wider attention when Chris Tackett (@christophertackett) shared a video compilation of the June 9 city council meeting on social media. 

At the meeting, officials were preparing to take up rezoning related to a data center proposed by the company Black Mountain. According to the Star-Telegram, the proposal is for a $10 billion, 187-acre project.

Tackett wrote in the caption that "Black Mountain asked vote be pushed to December" but that the "community still came out to be heard."

@christophertackett That's What This Data Center Fight Is About At Fort Worth City Council on 6/9/26, they were scheduled to vote on zoning changes to help Black Mountain build a Data Center. Black Mountain asked that the vote be pushed to December. Community still came out to be heard 🗣️ This is a compilation of some of the voices who spoke. Was Council listening? #wakeup #fortworth #seeitnameitfightit @817podcast ♬ original sound - Chris Tackett

In the clip, speaker after speaker urged the council to slow down rather than move ahead, saying that key details about the project remain unclear.

"All we're asking for is a pause," one resident said. "There's so much we don't know."

Some residents centered their remarks on ethics and oversight. One speaker said Black Mountain CEO Rhett Bennett had made campaign contributions to council members.

One commenter asked, "Has anyone checked to make sure the council is actually doing things legally?"

Why does it matter?

The fight comes amid a growing national clash over data centers, which are expanding rapidly to support cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

While these facilities can power everything from online storage to advanced AI tools, they may also require enormous amounts of electricity, use significant amounts of water for cooling, and have unintended social consequences.

The fears over heavy water use and contamination rippled in the crowd.

One speaker warned, "Once they pollute our water source and once we run out of it, we can't get it back — we're never gonna get it back." 

Another argued that the region is already under pressure, saying the region has "been robbing water from East Texas to give us water in North Texas."

Residents also pointed to other communities, saying areas near data centers elsewhere have seen "destroying home values raising utility costs tainting local water and causing health issues."

What's being done?

As the Star-Telegram reported, a vote on the $10 billion Black Mountain proposal that "had been scheduled for June 23, will take place [August] 25." However, the city council is expected to vote on August 11 on "policy changes governing city regulations of data centers."

Public comment periods, zoning hearings, and council votes are often opportunities for communities to press for more transparency around major industrial projects.

When residents show up, officials may face more pressure to ask for impact studies, stronger safeguards, or revised terms.

As one speaker put it, referring to whether or not officials are supporting the views of the community as a whole or just the wealthy, "that's what this data center fight is about."

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