Utah man says his house now identifies as a DATA CENTER after lawmakers imposed draconian water use on locals while mulling AI facility that will consume vast quantities of H2O

By JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:24, 2 June 2026 | Updated: 00:26, 2 June 2026 A Utah man furious over strict drought restrictions in the state says his home now 'identifies as a data center' and can use as much water as it wants. Jordan Smith, a resident of Riverdale, has become the unlikely face of a growing backlash over the proposed Stratos Project in Box Elder County, a sprawling data center development that has sparked fierce debate about water, growth and the future of Utah's natural resources.  Smith's protest is aimed squarely at state leaders as they weigh a massive artificial intelligence project that critics fear could consume enormous quantities of one of the West's most precious resources. While Riverdale residents have been ordered to cut back on water use amid worsening drought conditions, Smith says ordinary homeowners are being asked to make sacrifices while lawmakers consider developments that would place huge demands on water and power supplies. Smith, a 36-year-old father of three, designed and distributed satirical yard signs declaring: 'This home identifies as a data center and will use whatever amount of water it wants.' The signs, which have spread across communities and social media, are intended to highlight what he sees as a glaring contradiction in Utah's approach to water conservation. 'The signs are really meant to spark conversation around what I see as a major public policy issue for Utah residents,' Smith, who works as a realtor, told the Daily Mail. 'For years, everyday homeowners have been told to limit water usage, reduce consumption, and make sacrifices because of drought concerns and strain on infrastructure.  Utah resident Jordan Smith created satirical yard signs criticizing the state's approach to water conservation and large-scale development Smith's signs read, 'This home identifies as a data center and will use whatever amount of water it wants' 'At the same time, there are proposals for extremely large scale data center developments that could require enormous amounts of water and power,' he explained. His criticism comes as Riverdale City, about 40 miles north of Salt Lake City, grapples with what officials describe as severe drought conditions. The city announced mandatory water-use restrictions beginning April 27 running through November 1 after warning that conditions in the Weber River drainage system had deteriorated dramatically. In announcing the restrictions, city officials painted a grim picture of the situation facing local water supplies. 'Spring run-off flows are already finished, and water conditions are looking extremely bleak. At this time, the reservoirs, which supply a significant amount of water used in Riverdale City during summer months, are at dangerously low levels of capacity,' the city said. Against that backdrop, the prospect of a giant data center development has become a lightning rod. The proposed Stratos Project has attracted intense scrutiny from environmental groups and members of the public concerned about the amount of water that could be required across the project's vast 40,000-acre footprint. Critics fear large-scale AI infrastructure would place additional pressure on already strained resources and further complicate efforts to protect the Great Salt Lake, which has become a major environmental concern in recent years. Smith said the signs use humor and satire to encourage public engagement in what he considers an important policy issue Smith is used to erecting signs on front lawns in his job as a realtor  Smith insists his campaign is not an attack on technology itself. 'My concern is not about technology itself. It is about transparency, long term planning, and whether residents fully understand the scale of these projects and their potential impact on local resources and communities,' he said. Instead, he says the signs were deliberately designed to use humor to force a conversation that many Utahns might otherwise overlook. 'The signs are intentionally satirical. Humor and perceived hypocrisy have a way of making people pause and pay attention when they otherwise might keep scrolling,' Smith explained. The idea was born from frustration and a casual conversation with a friend. 'Like many people, I often felt powerless to do anything meaningful about issues that concern me. During a conversation with a friend, he jokingly said, "You should just make a yard sign about how you feel." So I did. 'What started as a tongue in cheek idea quickly turned into something much bigger,' Smith said. 'The response has honestly been far larger than I expected.' Smith says messages have poured in from people across Utah and beyond. 'People from all over have reached out because they feel there should be more public discussion before projects of this scale move forward,' he said. Smith believes his campaign has already achieved its primary goal. 'Whether people agree with me or disagree with me, the signs have accomplished what they were intended to do: get people talking.' Supporters of the Stratos Project argue many of the fears surrounding the AI development are misplaced. Smith's little stunt has also attracted the attention of local news media in the area According to Smith, people from across Utah have contacted him expressing support for more public discussion about the project The Utah man's campaign began after a friend jokingly suggested he make a yard sign expressing his frustrations over water restrictions in the state  Smith argues that homeowners are being told to cut water use while officials consider projects that could require significant water and power resources Officials with the Military Installation Development Authority and Box Elder County have repeatedly said the project will not divert water away from homes, farms or the Great Salt Lake. Project backers say the facility would rely on a closed-loop cooling system and existing water rights associated with the property rather than tapping into supplies currently used by residents. The Utah Department of Natural Resources has also said it will oversee water use connected to the project. But as drought conditions worsen and communities face restrictions on everything from lawn watering to household consumption, the debate shows little sign of cooling. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. 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