AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the state's water development board to start penalizing major water users if they haven't complied with water use reporting requirements.

In a letter to Texas Water Development Chair L'Oreal Stepney and Executive Administrator Bryan McMath, Abbott said major water users, including data centers, may be committing civil and criminal violations by failing to provide the agency with water usage.

What they're saying: "Data centers must share the duty to protect Texas water," Abbott said.