YUKON, Okla. — Developers of a proposed $1 billion data center on 180 acres near Frisco Road have changed the facility’s cooling plan after residents raised concerns about its water demand, Yukon City Manager Jeff Deckard said Tuesday, Oct. 13. The project was initially expected to use liquid cooling, which Deckard said would have required about 2.5 million gallons of water daily. The developers have since shifted to air cooling, bringing the projected demand for potable water down to about 50,000 gallons a day, mainly for restrooms and handwashing. “We have committed to the citizens of Yukon, to everybody involved, we’re not going to give a data center 2.5 million gallons of water, period,” Deckard said. Yukon’s daily water use ranges from 1 million to 2 million gallons, depending on weather, he said. Deckard said the revised estimate is comparable to the demand of some other local businesses, though he cautioned that the comparisons are not exact. Water use is not the only concern among residents opposing the proposal. Some have also cited the data center’s proximity to homes and the possibility of noise pollution. Residents have gathered about 345 signatures on a petition calling for public votes on future data center projects—more than the 162 signatures needed for verification. The petition was expected to be submitted at City Hall on Thursday. The proposal remains a source of debate as residents press for a say in how future projects are decided.