New water rights application for Stratos Project data center says project will use less water than what is currently used
O’Leary Digital Utah DC Sub 1, LLC filed a water rights application for the proposed Stratos Project data center in Box Elder County. The developers say the campus will use less water than current agricultural operations through a closed-loop system, but the project remains controversial because of potential effects on local residents and the Great Salt Lake.
O’Leary Digital Utah DC Sub 1, LLC, a company owned by businessman Kevin O’Leary, filed an application to transfer existing agricultural water rights for the proposed Stratos Project data center campus in Box Elder County. Developers say the project will use water-recycling infrastructure and consume less water than the property’s current agricultural operations, with plans to publicly report water use and flows returned toward the Great Salt Lake.
The planned campus would include 11 data center clusters and a 7.5-gigawatt natural gas power facility using a closed-loop system expected to recycle 90% of its water. The application is subject to a 20-day public protest period and a subsequent hearing before the state engineer. The Box Elder County Commission has approved a partnership with the Military Installation Development Authority, but the project still requires financing, county master-plan approval and environmental reviews. Residents and environmentalists continue to raise concerns about water use and impacts on the Great Salt Lake, while the Utah Legislature has authorized a study of data center environmental effects.