Watts Wasting Texas Water
How coal and gas power plants guzzle billions of gallons every year and how we can transition to a more secure water future.
Texas is facing drought, water shortages, and declining river and stream flows in all reaches of the state. Amid these ongoing water crises, we must understand just how much water our coal and gas power plants use every year, while renewable energy and battery storage barely use any.
Because the Trump Administration and Texas policies aim to use gas and coal to power a glut of data centers, this spiking energy demand will mean even more water is guzzled away by coal and gas. Examining this water usage is more important than ever.
To determine the enormity of water resources dedicated to Texas power plants, Sierra Club analyzed water consumption numbers from the U.S. Energy Information Administration as well as state water rights data. Our new report, Watts Wasting Texas Water, presents the staggering results and provides crucial information on how little water renewables use. We then urge state decision makers and corporate entities on how to do better to preserve water for Texans now and into the future.
Look at the nationwide numbers on power plant water usage.
Tell the Texas Public Utilities Commission to study water use by power plant operations and to plan for conservation strategies.
Act Now: Tell State Leaders to Conserve Texas Water!
Texas is running out of water, and some of the state's largest users aren't being held accountable. Tell the Public Utility Commission of Texas to study water use by power plants, make the data public, and require real conservation measures.
