Google Eyes Data Center in Water-Conscious New Mexico County

Google has announced it is 'exploring' a data center in Lea County, New Mexico. The tech giant's blog post offered few details about the proposed development, stating only that company leaders aim to be transparent and engage with the community early on.

The website for the project, leacountydatacenter.com, reveals that Google expects to create 'hundreds of long-term, operational jobs' initially and thousands of construction jobs. The site also notes that water use during construction will average over 900,000 gallons daily and that the energy source is likely to be a mix of solar, wind, batteries, and a moderate amount of gas-powered resources.

Lea County Board of County Commissioners Chair Tyson Pierce stated he didn't have many details about the site. He noted controversy often follows data center proposals, especially in areas dealing with environmental concerns such as water insecurity. The commission unanimously adopted a resolution in February that established specific guidelines for data center developments, including requirements for publishing annual water use reports and separating water needs for cooling, landscaping, on-site power generation, plumbing, and other uses.

Pierce emphasized the importance of being mindful of Lea County's limited water resources: 'I've lived here my entire life, so you understand the use of water and where we're at right now … the water table at my house has dropped considerably.'