This is in Texas which is hot but there’s water.

Additionally power stations use steam turbines which require a lot of water. Some cooling water for misters would probably be a rounding error.

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50698

https://www.seia.org/initiatives/water-use-management

Sorry if this is too basic of a question but for places close enough to the sea, would sea water for cooling and cleaning be an option? Too much salt residue?

Now I'm waiting for the seaside solar power plant/salt works proposal to pop up!

Seriously: Maybe residue wouldn't be an issue if it was never allowed to dry, but the corrosion-proof construction, drainage system, and pumping costs would be considerable. Then there's the 100 problems we're not aware of yet...

salt crusts are highly reflective, driving down light exposure pretty fast. Plus, salt water is corrosive.

> salt crusts are highly reflective

I think this will not be a problem, as the salt would be continuously washed away with new water. But the corrosion would be a problem indeed.

Maybe some plastic/epoxy/glass casing would help, but it might also hinder recyclability.