QTS Commits $250 Million to Texas Water Infrastructure and Conservation Over Next Decade

ASHBURN, Va. — QTS, a global data center leader and Blackstone portfolio company, has announced a $250 million investment commitment aimed at strengthening water infrastructure, conservation, and community-focused water projects across Texas over the next decade. The initiative, dubbed the QTS Water Infrastructure and Stewardship Pledge, underscores the company’s push to align rapid digital infrastructure growth with responsible environmental stewardship in one of the nation’s busiest data center markets.

The pledge will fund projects designed to improve water reliability, enhance efficiency, and reinforce local water systems. As part of the broader effort, QTS also plans to expand deployment of its Water-Free Cooling Design across future Texas data center developments, a move intended to ease pressure on regional water resources while supporting continued economic expansion.

The first phase of the initiative includes a significant investment in rural water infrastructure through the permanent replacement of the aging water tower in Turkey, Texas, carried out in partnership with the city. Additionally, QTS will direct $15 million over the next decade to support water replenishment and conservation programs across the state through a collaboration with Bonneville Environmental Foundation, a national nonprofit specializing in watershed restoration and conservation. Projects under this partnership will include leak detection, habitat restoration, and irrigation-efficiency upgrades.

“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 relies on a closed-loop system that is charged once with water and does not consume additional water for cooling once operational. Rather than depending on ongoing water withdrawals, the system continuously recirculates the same supply, sharply reducing overall water consumption compared with traditional evaporative cooling methods. Over the lifetime of a facility, total water use is expected to remain substantially below the amount 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 is used monthly by fewer than five average U.S. homes.

The announcement has drawn support from local and state leaders who see the investment as a model for balancing industrial expansion with community needs. “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 work with local governments, utilities, conservation groups, and community stakeholders to identify additional 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.” Rep. Ken King, District 88, echoed that sentiment, noting that “rural communities across Texas depend on reliable infrastructure to support residents, businesses, and future growth. Investments that strengthen local water systems and address community priorities can have a lasting impact.”

The move comes as data center operators across the U.S. face growing scrutiny over resource consumption, particularly water and energy usage in drought-prone regions. QTS’s pledge reflects a broader industry shift toward more sustainable design and community-integrated development strategies, positioning water stewardship as a core component of large-scale data center expansion. The company said it will announce additional partnerships and projects as plans are finalized.