Water Consumption Standards in City of Brenham

The City of Brenham is taking decisive steps to manage its water resources amid the rapid growth of water-intensive industries.

 

In a recent move, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended new regulations targeting car washes and data centers.

 

These proposals aim to mitigate the environmental impact of these facilities, particularly concerning water consumption.

 

Under the proposed standards, new car wash facilities would be limited to using a maximum of 55 gallons of water per vehicle.

 

Additionally, they must operate water reclamation and recycling systems at all times.

 

Existing car washes undergoing renovations exceeding 60% of the facility's value would also be required to comply with these new conservation measures.

 

Notably, car washes utilizing private water wells would be exempt from the 55-gallon per vehicle limitation.

 

However, they would still need to adhere to the requirement of maintaining operational water recycling systems.

 

To prevent market oversaturation, the Commission proposed a separation standard, stipulating that new car washes cannot be located within a two-mile radius of an existing facility.

 

This distance would be measured directly from property line to property line.

 

Regarding data centers, the Commission recommended defining these facilities within the zoning ordinance and restricting them to industrial zoning districts.

 

Each proposed data center would require a Specific Use Permit, involving two public hearings and a property-specific analysis.

 

To protect the city's water supply, the new ordinance would prohibit data centers from using water-based evaporative cooling systems.

 

Instead, they would need to employ alternative cooling methods that do not rely on the city's potable water.

 

These recommendations are set to be presented to the Brenham City Council for final consideration.

 

If approved, these measures would represent a significant shift in Brenham's industrial zoning policies, prioritizing long-term resource sustainability over unregulated expansion.