Officials in Cheyenne, Wyoming, say wastewater discharged during construction of Meta's new data center campus contaminated the city's recycled water system with a rare bacterium, prompting the suspension of certain industrial discharges and extensive remediation efforts.

According to the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities (BOPU), sampling traced the presence of Cupriavidus gilardii to fill-and-flush operations conducted by Goat Systems, a contractor working on the data center. The bacterium was detected in February within the city's wastewater reuse system, which supplies reclaimed water for irrigation, not drinking water. Officials emphasized that the public drinking water system was not affected.

BOPU revoked Goat Systems' industrial discharge privileges for fill-and-flush operations and said the contractor immediately halted wastewater discharges after being notified. Meta said the fill-and-flush process is a one-time construction activity used to clear debris from cooling system piping and that wastewater is now being hauled offsite while the issue is addressed.

The utility has also paused accepting industrial wastewater from data center fill-and-flush operations and closed-loop cooling systems while it reviews its policies. Over the past two months, BOPU drained and disinfected the reuse water system and Prairie View Pond and temporarily switched affected irrigation systems to potable water supplies to prevent the bacterium from spreading through the reclaimed water network.

Meta said it is working with its general contractor, Fortis, and local officials to resolve the issue. Independent testing commissioned by the contractor has reportedly not detected the bacterium in its samples, while the utility continues its investigation and plans to provide additional public updates.