UtahLarge data centers opening from July 2026 must report water use
Covered data centers starting operations on or after July 1, 2026, must report water plans before construction and yearly water use unless a reporting exception applies.
What it does
Data centers opening on or after July 1, 2026, that meet water-use, size, and ownership requirements must report water plans before construction. Local officials must notify water agencies before land-use approval.
After opening, covered data centers must report yearly water use and water-saving efforts. This duty does not apply when the state engineer requires water reports by rule under another law.
The Division of Water Rights must publish each reporting center's water withdrawals separately. Certain business details stay confidential when protection requirements are met, with combined results published without identifying operators.
Operators that fail to submit complete required reports after receiving notice face fines of up to $100 for each day they remain out of compliance.
Argument forAdvance notice could help water providers assess whether a planned data center's water needs fit the area before construction begins.
Argument againstThe yearly reporting exception could leave residents with less water information because reports required under another law may omit details required here.
More detail
Operators must report water plans to the Division of Water Rights and notify the area's water provider before construction. Coverage requires operations to begin on or after July 1, 2026, yearly water withdrawals of at least 75 acre-feet, and buildings totaling at least 10,000 square feet. An acre-foot measures enough water to cover one acre one foot deep. Covered centers primarily store, manage, and share computer data. They include cooling, security, and environmental systems or operator-run power generation. The buildings and land must be owned or leased by the operator or someone under common ownership. Operators must report location, estimated yearly water withdrawals, and plans for wastewater treatment, discharge temperature changes, and water reuse or replacement. Before approving land use, local officials must notify the Division of Water Rights, the Division of Water Quality, and the relevant water provider, if any. The law took effect May 6, 2026. Starting July 1, 2026, operators must give notice and report at least 90 days, but no more than 360 days, before construction.
Operators must send yearly water-use reports to the Division of Water Rights. This duty covers centers starting operations on or after July 1, 2026, that meet the law's water-use, building-size, facility, and ownership requirements. Reports cover actual water withdrawals, water-saving efforts, pollution safeguards when applicable, and other information required by agency rules. The yearly duty does not apply if the state engineer requires water reports by rule under another law, even if those reports omit information required here. Starting July 1, 2026, reports are due by July 1 each year for the previous calendar year after the center begins operating.
The Division of Water Rights must publish each reporting center's water withdrawals separately. These rules cover water reports for centers starting operations on or after July 1, 2026, that meet the law's coverage requirements. Treatment, discharge temperature, reuse, conservation, and pollution-protection information stays confidential if the operator meets the law's requirements for protecting business information. Other information required by agency rules receives this protection only if the agency provides for it when requiring the information. The agency must publish combined data from protected information by county without identifying operators and send it to affected local governments. The agency must share information that is not protected business information with the Division of Water Quality and the relevant water provider, if any. Water withdrawal data for the previous calendar year must be published by September 1. Combined data from protected information must also be disclosed annually by September 1.
The Division of Water Rights must fine operators that still fail to provide complete required reports after receiving notice. Penalties apply to operators that owe a preconstruction or yearly report under these requirements. The agency must first notify the operator that a required report is missing or incomplete. Collected fines go into the state's General Fund. Daily fines apply if an operator continues failing to submit a complete report after receiving notice.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 23Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 12House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 12House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 11House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 6Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 6Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 6House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Mar 6House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ to House
- Vote recorded House/ concurs with Senate amendment. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Senate/ failed. Result: fail.Upper
- Mar 5Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 5Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 5House/ to Senate
- Mar 5House/ concurs with Senate amendmentMajor
- Mar 5House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 5House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ to House with amendments
- Mar 5Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionPassed Senate
- Mar 5Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5Senate/ motion to reconsider
- Mar 5Senate/ to House
- Mar 5Senate/ failedMajor
- Mar 5Senate/ uncircled
- Mar 4Senate/ circled
- Mar 4Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionMinor
- Mar 4LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0076S03
- Mar 4Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 4Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]
- Mar 3Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Mar 3Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Major
- Mar 3LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0076S03
- Mar 2LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0076S03
- Mar 2LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0076S03
- Feb 26Senate Comm - Not Considered [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]
- Feb 25LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0076S02
- Feb 24Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Feb 13LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0076S02
- Feb 11LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0076S02
- Feb 11LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0076S02
- Jan 30Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 29Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 29House/ to Senate
- Jan 29House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Jan 29House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Jan 26LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0076S01
- Jan 23House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Jan 23House/ comm rpt/ substituted/ amended [House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee]Major
- Jan 23LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0076S01
- Jan 22House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee]Minor
- Jan 22House Comm - Amendment Recommendation [House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee]Minor
- Jan 22House Comm - Substitute Recommendation [House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee]Major
- Jan 22LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0076S01
- Jan 22LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0076S01
- Jan 21House/ to standing committee [House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee]Minor
- Jan 20House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 14House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 14House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 8LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0076
- Jan 5LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0076
- 2025
- Dec 23LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0076
- Dec 23LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0076
- Dec 23Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Dec 23Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
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