ASHBURN, Va. — QTS today announced plans to invest $250 million in Texas water infrastructure, conservation, and community-focused water projects over the next 10 years, reinforcing its commitment to responsible growth and long-term water stewardship across the state.
This QTS Water Infrastructure and Stewardship Pledge will support projects that improve water reliability, increase efficiency, and strengthen local water systems. QTS also expects to further invest in its Water-Free Cooling Design across future Texas data center developments, helping reduce pressure on local water resources while supporting continued economic growth.
The effort begins with plans for a transformational investment in rural water infrastructure through the permanent replacement of the aging water tower in Turkey, Texas, in partnership with the city. In addition, QTS plans to invest $15 million over the next decade through a partnership with Bonneville Environmental Foundation, a national nonprofit water stewardship organization that specializes in conservation and watershed restoration projects, to support water replenishment and conservation projects across Texas, including leak detection, habitat restoration, and irrigation-efficiency improvements.
“Texas is one of the nation’s most important markets for digital infrastructure, and that growth must be matched by responsible investment in local resources,” said Tag Greason and David Robey, Co-CEOs of QTS. “This commitment reflects our belief that data center development and water stewardship can go hand in hand. By investing in infrastructure, supporting conservation projects, and deploying water-free cooling technology, we’re helping meet the needs of Texans and their communities while enabling long-term economic growth.”
QTS’s Water-Free Cooling Design uses a closed-loop cooling system that is charged once with water and does not consume additional water for cooling once operational. The system continuously recirculates the same water rather than relying on ongoing water withdrawals. This differentiated approach significantly reduces water use compared with traditional evaporative cooling systems and will be deployed at new QTS data centers in Texas. Over the lifetime of a facility, total water use is expected to be substantially less than the amount of water a typical golf course consumes in a single year. The limited water required each month to support employees, visitors, and other domestic needs at a water-free cooled data center is equivalent to what’s used monthly by less than five average U.S. homes.
“Lancium is proud to support QTS’s long-term investment in Texas and its commitment to responsible growth. Turkey has been home to our Hall County Clean Campus from the start, and this partnership shows what’s possible when infrastructure investment is done the right way,” said Michael McNamara, CEO of Lancium. “As the owner of the campus and the provider of the electrical and civil infrastructure QTS is building on, we’re proud to stand alongside QTS in replacing the town’s water tower and investing in the systems this community relies on.”
QTS will partner with local governments, utilities, conservation organizations, and community stakeholders to identify projects that improve water quality and availability, reduce system losses, and deliver measurable environmental and community benefits.
“QTS’s investment in Turkey’s water infrastructure will solve one of the community’s most significant needs,” said Sen. Charles Perry, District 28. “As Texas continues to grow, projects like this show how infrastructure investment, conservation, and economic development can work together for the long term.”
“Rural communities across Texas depend on reliable infrastructure to support residents, businesses, and future growth,” said Rep. Ken King, District 88. “Investments that strengthen local water systems and address community priorities can have a lasting impact. Partnerships that bring resources to communities like Turkey help ensure essential infrastructure remains in place for generations.”
QTS will announce additional partnerships and projects as plans are finalized.
About QTS Data Centers
QTS is a global data center leader with unrivaled access to scalable infrastructure across North America and Europe. QTS delivers state-of-the-art data center solutions, robust connectivity, and premium customer service to leading hyperscale technology companies, enterprises, and government entities while prioritizing responsible growth and investing in the communities where it builds and operates. QTS is a Blackstone portfolio company.
Learn more: Q.com | 877.QTS.DATA