MES quantified water loss and I&I for the town and delivered a final report with engineering estimates and a prioritized roadmap in 2024; follow-up work continues in 2026.
Town of Oak Creek I&I and water loss analysis
Project
1.0 MGD zero-discharge reuse for a mixed-use data center development
A TCEQ 210E authorization in 10 weeks let a 1.0 MGD mixed-use data center development in San Marcos bypass a discharge permit and its hearings.
About the project
The problem
A large mixed-use development in San Marcos, Hays County, Texas, combines data center operations with commercial facilities and supporting systems. Its wastewater facility has a design flow of 1.0 MGD.
A discharge permit at that size would have faced significant opposition from environmental groups concerned about the San Marcos River and the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. In this region, public hearing processes routinely stretch those timelines to 30 months or more.
The pathway
MES pursued the TCEQ 210E authorization instead, with a zero-discharge reclaimed water system. All of the reuse stays on site, so there is no surface water discharge.
The waste streams include domestic wastewater, data center cooling, equipment cleaning, humidification, truck washout and stormwater runoff.
The reclaimed water has two uses. It irrigates the campus landscaping and common areas, and it supplies fire protection for the data center and commercial buildings.
MES studied the site and the TCEQ requirements, brought the topography into the design files, and prepared the plans, report and exhibit. The application went out in July 2025.
The result
TCEQ approved the 210E authorization in 10 weeks. At 1.0 MGD the review was more detailed, and approval still came about 21 months sooner than a comparable discharge permit.
The data center component provided clear industrial justification. The large irrigation capacity removed any surface water discharge concern.
- Design flow
- 1.0 MGD
- Authorization
- TCEQ 210E
- Time to permit
- 10 weeks
- Time saved vs. discharge permit
- About 21 months
- Reuse
- Irrigation and fire protection, zero discharge
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