The Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities suspended industrial wastewater discharges from Meta's data center contractor Goat Systems LLC after discovering Cupriavidus gilardii, a metal-resistant bacterium, in the city's reclaimed water. The bacterium entered the system through fill-and-flush water from closed-loop cooling system purges, interfering with two water reclamation plants and forcing the reuse system offline for months of cleanup. The Board revoked discharge privileges on March 24, and the suspension now covers all data centers connected to city services.
Fill-and-flush is a commissioning step where crews fill cooling loop piping with water, flush it to clear debris, and send the used water to drain. Goat Systems routed that flush water into Cheyenne's sanitary sewer. The Board's concern extends beyond the bacterium, as closed-loop systems can carry glycol and other chemicals that municipal treatment plants aren't built to process. Cheyenne sprays reclaimed water on parks and golf courses, raising aerosol hazards. Meta said it supports contractor Fortis, which stopped discharging and began hauling wastewater offsite.