Montgomery County groundwater officials say data centers unlikely to locate here
On Oct. 29, 2026, leaders of the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District told a symposium marking the agency's 25th anniversary that data center developers are unlikely to target Montgomery County because of regulations protecting against water overuse. The county relies mostly on groundwater for its water needs and has spacing rules governing new wells that would make it difficult for data centers to win approval.
- When it happened
- Oct. 29, 2026
- Where
- Montgomery County
- First reported by an outlet
- Oct 30, 2026 at 3:11 pm
- Confirmed by
- the original record or a trusted outlet
Taxes & money
None stated in this story's sources.
Who's involved
The facts
- The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District on Oct. 29, 2026 held a symposium celebrating 25 years since the agency's creation.[1]
- Montgomery County relies mostly on groundwater for its water needs, according to the Texas Water Development Board's data dashboard.[1]
- The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District has spacing rules governing new wells that would make it difficult for data centers to win approval.[1]
- Lake Conroe fills the gap between Montgomery County's groundwater supply and its total water needs.[1]
- The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District has invested in science to estimate how groundwater pumping will affect land subsidence by 2080.[1]
- In September 2026, Gov. Greg Abbott directed regulators to stop issuing new permits for data centers.[1]
Who said what
- Jim Spigener, board president of Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District Data center developers would have a hard time getting a permit from the district if they wanted to use water in a way that was not conserving.[1]
- Jim Spigener A developer wanting to build a data center in Montgomery County would be challenged to make it feasible given the county's growth, spread, and spacing rules governing new wells.[1]
- Jim Spigener Data centers would need to come in with the kind of cooling system that does not tax the county's water system.[1]
- Sarah Kouba, General Manager of Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District Strong regulations already in place make Montgomery County not as attractive to data centers that would cause large production damage or impacts.[1]
- Sarah Kouba Montgomery County needs to do better on conservation strategies, including tightening water restrictions during droughts and rainwater harvesting, as the county has green lawns during droughts.[1]
- Jim Spigener The Gulf Coast Aquifer is probably one of the most prolific aquifers there are, and the county is not running out of water.[1]
- Jim Spigener The era of inexpensive water is ending and water will get more expensive as time goes on.[1]
Sources
- News Montgomery County water officials say data centers aren’t likely to target county for development Community Impact · Oct 30, 2026
Written by AI from the sources above, under fixed rules: every fact is cited, claims are kept apart from facts, and dollar figures appear only when a source states them. Mistakes get corrected in public.