Project Jupiter will need nearly 1 million gallons of water a day — where will it come from?

Project Jupiter, a proposed hyperscale data center near Santa Teresa in Southern New Mexico, is drawing significant attention due to its substantial water requirements in the arid Lower Rio Grande Basin. The facility, especially its natural-gas-powered microgrids, is projected to need almost 1.1 million gallons of water daily, totaling around 1,100 acre-feet annually, in addition to an initial 2 million gallons for its closed-loop cooling system. Water for the project will be sourced partly from the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority for office use, but the majority will come from an existing water rights holder, Santa Teresa Capital LLC. This company, registered to Lane Gaddy, purchased rights to approximately 2,600 acre-feet per year in 2017, historically used for a sod farm. An Oracle spokesperson, associated with Project Jupiter, clarified that the water used is non-potable, comes from reallocated existing rights (not new demand), and is essential for advanced emissions control technology in the microgrids. Despite these assurances, an emergency request by Santa Teresa Capital LLC to drill a new well to replace failing ones — which would supply water to both the sod farm and the "large-scale industrial construction project" (Project Jupiter) — has sparked controversy. The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer initially granted the emergency request in October, allowing drilling to commence. However, the application drew "a few dozen protests," leading to an upcoming hearing to evaluate the appropriateness of the emergency authorization. This administrative process reflects community concerns about water management in the region.