Water

Facing limited options, oil industry turns to AI to handle wastewater from oil production. Producers discovered other uses to streamline the process.

Authorities in Sinton won't confirm or deny Corpus Christi's suggestion that the small town is hoarding its precious groundwater for data centers. Across Texas, a booming buildout of server farms is adding strain to water resources that are already stretched to their limit.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation yesterday into nearly 30 school districts, including Lubbock ISD, regarding Texas’ Senate Bills 10 and 11. Lubbock ISD released a statement saying it is in compliance with both state laws. A recent report from the University of Texas at Austin revealed that data centers could potentially account for 3-9 percent of the Texas' water use by 2040. KEDT's Rob Boscamp reports they currently represent less than 1%.

Election Day for Lubbock County’s municipal and school elections took place May 2. The City of Lubbock had four positions on the ballot and three of those representatives remain unchanged, including Lubbock’s mayor.

Small towns around Corpus Christi worry where they'll fall on the pecking order if the region's water runs out.

Texas Tech University’s quarterback, Brendan Sorsby, is taking an indefinite leave of absence to get treatment for gambling addiction, a growing concern within the NCAA. Our Charley Maranville reports the Texas Water Development Board is accepting public comments on the draft of the 2027 State Water Plan. You can find more information and read the draft here and submit comments until May 29 here.

City leaders intend to make unprecedented cuts to water use in September, but they aren't sure exactly how.

Across the central U.S., nitrate from crop fertilizer and livestock facilities is seeping into water underground. Many family wells are no longer safe to drink from without pricey treatment.

That new amount is more than double the amount predicted four years ago. The new forecast comes as supply is already drying up.

The City of Lubbock has announced spring and summer irrigation restrictions in effect now through Sept. 30. Our Mia Shephard explains the guidelines and you can find more at mylubbock.us/irrigation. A trial over a lack of air conditioning and excessive heat in Texas prisons will continue this week in a federal court in Austin. KUT’s Andrew Weber reports the trial will determine if state prisons are subject to the same regulations as county lockups and federal prisons.