Brooks Benson, the Republican running for state Senate District 11, says developers should prove they have enough water before breaking ground on new projects. In August, he accepted $5,000 from a developer of a Fairfield project that includes a possible data center in an area the U.S. Drought Monitor lists as experiencing “extreme drought.”
The donation came from DAI Managers, one of the developers behind the proposed GoldMine project in Fairfield. The mixed-use proposal includes housing and more than 900 acres for a possible data center. It is still in the planning stages and was presented to the Fairfield Planning Commission in July.
Data centers use a lot of water. A mid-size facility can consume 300,000 to 500,000 gallons a day, roughly what 1,000 to 1,500 homes use. Fairfield has fewer than 200 residents.
Benson’s campaign website calls water a central issue in the district he wants to represent. It says new developments “should demonstrate water availability before breaking ground.”
He made a similar case during an appearance on a right-wing podcast in March, saying that addressing Utah’s water situation was one reason he entered the race. He said the state can’t sustain itself on its current water supply as cities grow, especially in District 11.
“With the growth that we're having and this and the way that cities are growing, especially out in District 11, we aren't going to see ourselves being able to survive with the current water that we have over the next fifty or a hundred years," Benson said. “Water is going to be a massive problem later on.”
Benson did not respond to a request for comment from Utah Political Watch.
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The contribution arrives as data centers have become a potent issue ahead of the 2026 midterms. A Utah State University survey conducted this month found that 75.8% of Utahns oppose building new or additional data centers in the state. In the survey, 86% of respondents said they oppose a data center within three miles of their home. Water consumption was the top concern.
Backlash to a proposed hyperscale data center in Box Elder County likely contributed to Senate President Stuart Adams’ loss in the June primary. Two Box Elder County commissioners also lost their primaries after the outcry.
Sen. Emily Buss, Benson’s opponent on the November ballot, said the donation should concern voters.
“Mr. Benson has accepted money from a developer with a stake in this debate. What do they expect from him in return?” Buss said in an email.
“Utah has a troubling pattern of political insiders advancing projects backed by developers who have donated to their campaigns,” she said.
The donation to Benson is DAI’s only political contribution this election cycle. Last year, the company gave $6,000 to the Utah Valley Home Builders Association’s political action committee. In 2024, its only donation was $5,000 to Gov. Spencer Cox’s re-election bid.
DAI did not respond to a request for comment.
