- Fort Worth residents concerned about data centers’ noise, water use and neighborhood impacts will have an opportunity to address the City Council on Nov. 10.
- The council is considering a 90-day moratorium on new data center development while the city completes its regulatory framework.
- The hearing is an early step in the process, not a final vote.
The path to a pause
Fort Worth is weighing how to accommodate data center growth without overwhelming neighborhoods, water supplies, and the infrastructure supporting them. A proposed development pause would give officials time to finish rules governing where new facilities can locate and how they operate, while giving residents a voice in shaping those protections.
The City Council initiated the moratorium process Aug. 11, 2026. The first public hearing is scheduled for its 6 p.m. meeting Nov. 10, following a 4 p.m. work session where the Fort Worth Data Center & Infrastructure Commission is scheduled to present its report.
Additional hearings, notices and ordinance readings must precede adoption, which requires a council supermajority. The moratorium would not halt vested or approved projects, or projects with zoning applications already submitted.
The water question
Concerns about water contamination have also prompted legal action across the nation. Steven Smith of Modern Plumbing says existing water problems make additional safeguards important.
“Between PFAS and blue-green algae, we’re already struggling to get good water into homes,” Smith says. “If we don’t get the regulations right, data centers will add cooling tower chemicals and salts to the mix.”
The regional reach
The debate extends beyond Fort Worth into communities across Dallas-Fort Worth. Current and proposed sites stretch along the Interstate 35 corridor in southern Dallas and Ellis County, with additional development in Irving and Garland. Other sites exist in Plano and Allen, making questions about construction, cooling and water treatment regional rather than confined to one city.
The bigger question
The hearing brings the tension between technology development and water protection into public view. Residents’ questions range from electricity demand to where coolant and runoff go. With the incoming Democrats preparing to take office, how will those politicians address data centers’ combined effects on water quality, power demand and surrounding neighborhoods while turning residents’ concerns into enforceable safeguards?
The stats
- 296 — The amount of operating data centers in Texas. pewresearch
- 170 — Texas data centers under construction, planned or on land reserved for future development, bringing the state’s combined total to 466. pewresearch
- More than 3,000 — Operating data centers nationwide in Pew Research Center’s analysis. pewresearch
- More than 1,500 — Additional U.S. data centers in development, including facilities under construction, planned projects and land reserved for future development. pewresearch
Additional resources
Residents can use these resources to track proposals, submit objections and question safeguards.
- Fort Worth Data Centers Information: Review the moratorium process, commission updates and cooling-water requirements before commenting.
- City Council Speaker Registration: Register to speak on posted agenda items and present neighborhood concerns directly to council members.
- City Council Written Comments: Open the relevant meeting and agenda item to submit written feedback, including opposition or requests for stronger protections.
- Fort Worth Zoning: Review zoning procedures and opportunities to speak when a proposed project requires a zoning change.
