Deadly bacteria found in the US wastewater system have sparked fresh scrutiny of the environmental risks associated with large-scale AI data center construction in the United States. Officials in Cheyenne, Wyoming, say a contractor working on Meta’s US$800 million AI data center, known as Project Cosmo, discharged bacteria-contaminated industrial water into the city’s public sewer network during construction. While authorities confirmed that drinking water was never affected, the discovery prompted the city to permanently revoke the project’s wastewater discharge authorization and introduce stricter regulations governing how industrial wastewater from data centers is managed.

The incident also comes as AI infrastructure continues expanding rapidly across the US, where nearly 4,500 data centers are already in operation, many placing significant demands on local water and energy resources.

Contaminated Wastewater Discovered During Routine Testing

The contamination was detected in February 2026 during routine monitoring of wastewater released from the cooling system at Meta’s new AI data center in the High Plains Business Park.

According to city officials, the wastewater contained Cupriavidus gilardii, a rare bacterium naturally found in soil. Investigators identified Goat Systems LLC, a contractor involved in the project, as responsible for the discharge.

Although the bacterium entered the public sewer system, officials emphasized that it never contaminated Cheyenne’s drinking water supply.

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What is Cupriavidus gilardii?

Health experts classify Cupriavidus gilardii as an opportunistic pathogen, meaning it generally poses little risk to healthy individuals but can cause serious infections in people with weakened immune systems or severe underlying medical conditions.

• A 2026 study published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases reviewed 32 documented human Cupriavidus infections worldwide, reporting 10 deaths linked to severe complications.
• Researchers noted that nearly all affected patients had significant pre-existing health conditions.
• One of the earliest documented cases involved a 12-year-old American girl who died from sepsis after contracting a Cupriavidus gilardii infection during a family trip to Europe, according to a report published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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City Tightens Wastewater Rules

Following the discovery of deadly bacteria found in US wastewater system, the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities (BOPU) permanently revoked Meta’s authorization to discharge industrial wastewater into the city’s treatment facilities.

Officials also adopted new regulations prohibiting wastewater disposal from data centers that use closed-loop cooling systems and fill-and-flush construction processes.

Instead, companies must now collect wastewater separately, store it in dedicated tanks, and transport it to approved off-site disposal facilities rather than releasing it into municipal sewer infrastructure.

Meta Says Immediate Action Was Taken

Meta said it acted immediately after learning about the contamination.

• According to the company, its general contractor, Fortis, stopped discharging industrial wastewater into the city’s sewer system and began transporting wastewater off-site.
• Meta also commissioned independent environmental testing, which it says found no trace of the bacterium in subsequent water samples.

In a statement, the company reiterated its commitment to protecting local water resources and described itself as being committed to remaining “a good neighbor” in the Cheyenne community.

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AI Data Centers Face Growing Environmental Scrutiny

The incident has added to broader concerns surrounding the rapid expansion of AI data centers across the United States.

According to the Data Center Map, the country hosts nearly 4,500 data centers, with some large facilities consuming up to 300,000 gallons of water per day roughly equivalent to the daily water use of about 1,000 households.

Environmental groups and local communities have increasingly questioned the impact of these facilities on water supplies, electricity demand, wastewater management, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Meta’s Project Cosmo had already faced local opposition before the wastewater incident, with residents raising concerns about the environmental implications of large-scale cooling systems and expanding AI infrastructure.

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