This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Bluffdale • The National Security Agency's Utah Data Center used 6.2 million gallons of water as the summer heat reached its peak last year, according to records its supplier released Friday.
That also coincides with when the NSA was testing the data center's systems in preparation to bring the facility online. However, water usage plummeted as 2013 went on, according to the records from Bluffdale government.
The records indicate that, at least so far, the Utah Data Center has used far less water than predicted. Planning documents from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the center would use 1.7 million gallons a day. Minutes from a Bluffdale City Council meeting indicated that figure had been reduced to 1.2 million gallons per day.
Whatever the Utah Data Center's peak water usage will be, it is not expected to reach that figure until its fully operational. The NSA has refused to say even if the Utah Data Center is functioning. NSA officials were not available for comment Friday.
Bluffdale released the records pursuant to a state records request The Salt Lake Tribune filed in December. The water usage records end with the month of November.
The culinary water is primarily used to cool the complex, which is to serve as a huge, digital storage facility for the NSA and other U.S. government intelligence agencies.
The facility was supposed to go online in the fall of 2013. However, the Wall Street Journal reported in October the Utah Data Center was suffering electrical problems that were hampering its opening.
The NSA opposed the disclosure of the water records, citing national security concerns. Bluffdale, citing the NSA's opposition, denied The Tribune's requests for the water usage data.
But last month, the state Records Committee ordered Bluffdale to disclose the records. The city's attorney, Vaughn Pickell, informed The Tribune on Friday the city would not challenge the ruling in state court.
The city provided the records Friday after the newspaper paid $334.95 in fees to settle the request for the water usage records and previous records requests.
Bluffdale also provided a letter from an NSA attorney saying the spy agency still believes federal law prevents the records from disclosure. However, according to the letter, "… the NSA has determined that the public interest in this particular category of information … outweighs the NSA's need to continue protecting this information."
The name of the NSA attorney was redacted.
Twitter: @natecarlisle Gallons Month-by-month
2012
January • 3.8 million
February • 900,000
March • 895,000
April • 1.2 million
May • 2.1 million
June • 1.5 million
July • 1.9 million
August • 2.4 million
September • 2.1 million
October • 1.9 million
November • 1.1 million
December • 890,000
2013
January • 1.3 million
February • 761,000
March • 1.5 million
April • 2.1 million
May • 3 million
June • 4.2 million
July • 6.2 million
August • 5 million
September • 4.2 million
October • 2.5 million
November • 2.7 million
Source: Bluffdale