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House approves data center water-transparency bill requiring pre-construction and annual reporting
Summary
First substitute HB 76 passed the House 72-0 after sponsor Representative Colford said the bill requires data centers to report pre-construction and annual water use to the state water engineer to improve oversight and resource management.
The Utah House on Jan. 29 passed first substitute HB 76, a measure aimed at improving reporting and oversight of data center water use.
Representative Colford, the House sponsor, said the bill is "fundamentally about reporting and transparency," and that it would require pre-construction reporting and annual ongoing reports of water usage to the state water engineer. Colford emphasized that while some data centers are responsible water stewards, the state needs consistent data to ensure the resource is protected.
The bill was adopted without floor debate and passed by recorded vote (72-0). It will be sent to the Senate for consideration.
What the bill does: As presented on the floor, the substitute requires data-center operators to provide pre-construction water-use reports and to file annual water-use reports so the state can account for industrial water consumption tied to data centers. Sponsors framed the measure as a transparency and resource-protection requirement rather than a ban.
Next step: HB 76 will be transmitted to the Senate for further consideration.
