Testing of upgrades to the Sandy Creek Water Treatment Plant is underway, with final completion expected by the end of April, according to Gina Ellison, executive director of public works for the city of Leander.

Ellison, who provided an update at the April 16 City Council meeting, said the upgrades will increase the plant’s treatment capacity from about 9 million gallons per day to 12 million gallons per day.

The details: Ellison said the improvements included expanding the plant’s sludge lagoons and upgrading its sludge management system.

The new treatment unit is the plant’s seventh. Ellison said it will serve as a backup unit and will allow the plant to continue operating at full capacity when one of the units needs to undergo maintenance.

Both upgrades require a 21-day testing period that is currently underway as of the April 16 City Council meeting, Ellison said.

Cedar Park officials are weighing a proposal to require the registration of short-term rentals within the city.

Some context: The city defines a short-term rental as “the rental of all or part of a residential property for a period of 30 consecutive days or fewer to an individual who is not a permanent resident.” Short-term rentals include rentals through websites like Airbnb and Vrbo.

City staff estimates there are about 200 short-term rentals operating within the city today.

The framework: The proposed ordinance would require short-term rentals to register with the city and require owners to pay an annual registration fee of $100 per property.

Why it matters: Short-term rental owners are already required to pay hotel occupancy taxes. Staff documents state that registration “would promote fairness and consistency by helping the city ensure proper collection of hotel occupancy taxes ... which contribute to services and amenities that benefit the entire community.”

What’s next: City Council is set to vote on the proposed ordinance at its April 23 meeting.

Check out some of the most read stories in the Austin area April 13-16.

1. Significant traffic shifts at New Hope, 183A intersection in Cedar Park

2. The Lodge Card Club closes in Round Rock, lays off 114 employees

3. Check out 17 events happening in the Pflugerville, Hutto area

4. Lake Georgetown under drought watch

5. New housing development coming to Leander near Bar W Ranch and Larkspur

6. Wendy's opening soon off Hwy. 46 in New Braunfels

Texas is home to the nation’s fastest-growing data center market, with one January report projecting that the state will see a 142% increase in its share of the data center industry by the end of 2028.

During a wide-ranging Texas House hearing April 9, lawmakers questioned data center developers, energy companies and state grid officials about the amount of water the large facilities use; how they impact noise levels and air quality; and whether residents can expect higher costs when data centers come to their communities.

What they're saying: “Water is a really scarce resource in this state, and so we have to have a clear picture of what these facilities use on the water side,” said Thomas Gleeson, chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

More details: Data centers use water to cool their computer servers and prevent overheating. The facilities have historically used a water-intensive process known as "evaporative cooling," but data center executives said April 9 that they have transitioned to “closed-loop” systems where water is continuously reused.