In McLennan County just North of Waco, Elm Mott is set to become home to a large-scale data center facility that neighboring Lacy Lakeview is attempting to annex. Although the land has yet to be annexed, Lacy Lakeview has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the project developer to set the framework for the resource-intensive data center.
Data centers are surging in number around Texas—oftentimes meeting opposition from local residents due to the centers’ consumption of large amounts of energy and unknown amounts of water.
Infrakey—a Wyoming-based company—plans to build its first and only project roughly a mile outside the rural town of Ross, in the unincorporated community of Elm Mott. The master plan posted on its website boasts of 21 data center buildings as well as an on-site natural gas plant.
McLennan County records indicate Infrakey purchased two adjacent properties totaling over 520 acres in June.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Lacy Lakeview is roughly 2,700 acres.
Upon full buildout, the facility will bring “more than $10 billion in taxable property value,” according to Lacy Lakeview’s documents.
Lacy Lakeview Mayor Charles Wilson traveled to Hawaii in January 2026 to sign a memorandum of understanding with Infrakey, which was approved at the city council meeting on December 9. The signed document set the framework for the project to progress if the land is annexed into the city of Lacy Lakeview.
The memorandum of understanding also indicated that the project will use and reuse “15–16 million gallons per day” when completed.
According to a report from the United States Geological Survey, the average American uses 82 gallons of water per day at home.
Using this statistic, the data center facility is estimated to use, at minimum, the same amount of water as roughly 183,000 Americans per day.
Lacy Lakeview has a contract with the City of Waco to purchase water on an annual basis. In the month of December, Lacy Lakeview purchased just over 18.7 million gallons of water.
As part of the memorandum of understanding, Lacy Lakeview also agreed to “act as municipal sponsor for water, wastewater, and district cooling systems for purposes of state and federal permitting and rate recognition.”
Infrakey’s master plan also indicates upon completion of the final phase, the campus will have a capacity of 1000 megawatts, or 1 gigawatt. The memorandum of understanding states that the on-site natural gas plant is anticipated to produce 1.2 gigawatts and is responsible for providing the “interconnection infrastructure necessary to integrate the Project with ERCOT.”
The memorandum of understanding between Lacy Lakeview and Infrakey also states that they will work together to ensure the project will be “designed, constructed, and operated to achieve measurable sustainability outcomes, including improved energy efficiency, water reuse, and reductions in carbon intensity.”
A resolution to consider annexing property at the landowner’s request was passed at the city council meeting on January 13. This opens up the opportunity for Infrakey to petition to be annexed by Lacy Lakeview, even though the property is not adjacent to the city.
Meanwhile, community members are protesting the facility, with one petition reaching almost 3,000 signatures. Some community members also formed a Facebook group, which currently has almost 2,500 members.
The next city council meeting for Lacy Lakeview will be held on February 10.
