Utah Passes Law Requiring Water Use Reporting for Large Data Centers

New legislation aims to increase transparency around water usage by major tech facilities in the drought-stricken state.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Utah Legislature has passed a bill that will require large data centers moving to the state to report their annual water usage to state officials. The law, which awaits the governor's signature, is intended to provide more transparency around the significant water consumption of these facilities in the second-driest state in the nation.

Why it matters

Data centers have come under increased scrutiny in recent years due to their high water usage, especially in water-stressed regions like Utah. This new reporting requirement aims to hold large tech companies accountable and allow the public to better understand the water demands of these facilities as Utah grapples with ongoing drought conditions.

The details

The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Jill Koford, will require data centers of at least 10,000 square feet that use at least 75 acre-feet of water per year to report their annual water usage to the state. This data will also be made publicly accessible. The law will only apply to new large data centers that come to Utah on or after July 1, 2026, a compromise reached after Koford spoke with data center operators.

  • The Utah House and Senate passed the water reporting bill during the 2026 General Legislative Session.
  • The new law is set to take effect in May 2026, pending the governor's signature by March 26.

The players

Jill Koford

A Republican state representative from Ogden, Utah who sponsored the bill requiring water use reporting for large data centers.

Spenser Cox

The governor of Utah, who has until March 26, 2026 to sign or veto the data center water reporting bill.

NSA

The National Security Agency operates a large data center in Bluffdale, Utah that uses 23 million gallons of water per month, according to Rep. Koford.

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What they’re saying

“The market itself has reacted to the concern nationwide about water use. In the second-driest state in the nation, I think it's good for us to set the tone nationally.”

— Jill Koford, State Representative (kslnewsradio.com)

“Data centers are important to our economy, to where we're going. We don't want to discourage them from coming (to Utah), but we want them to be good partners.”

— Jill Koford, State Representative (kslnewsradio.com)

What’s next

Gov. Spenser Cox has until March 26, 2026 to sign or veto the data center water reporting bill passed by the Utah Legislature.

The takeaway

This new law aims to increase transparency around the significant water usage of large data centers in Utah, a state facing ongoing drought conditions. By requiring reporting and public access to this data, lawmakers hope to hold tech companies accountable as major water consumers and encourage sustainable water practices in this water-stressed region.