Cheyenne’s Board of Public Utilities suspended all wastewater discharges from data center fill-and-flush and closed-loop cooling systems after a contractor for Meta contaminated the city’s water system with rare bacteria, according to an announcement Thursday, July 2, 2026.
The Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities identified Goat Systems LLC, the corporate entity Meta uses for construction of its sprawling data center campus in the High Plains Business Park, as the source of the contamination.
The bacteria, Cupriavidus gilardii, is a rare type found naturally in soil and water, according to the National Institutes of Health. It can act as an opportunistic pathogen, primarily infecting people with weakened immune systems.
Frank Strong, BOPU’s engineering and water resource division manager, said the contamination was discovered during routine wastewater sampling in February 2026. “This isn’t something we normally test for,” Strong told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. “We actually had to go through quite a process to figure out what it was.”
Goat Systems discharged fill-and-flush water—used to clean and test cooling systems before facility operation—into the city’s sanitary sewer system. The water already contained the bacteria when discharged, Strong said.
City’s Response and New Policy
The BOPU immediately shut down the discharge once the bacteria was identified and revoked Goat Systems’ industrial discharge privileges effective March 24, 2026. The city also temporarily suspended its reclaimed water irrigation program, which distributes treated wastewater for irrigation of parks and golf courses.
Strong stressed that Cheyenne’s drinking water was never affected. The concern centered on the reclaimed water system, which sprays treated wastewater onto public green spaces. “The concern we have with our reuse system is we put it into aerosol, where we spray it onto the grass, and that increases the potential for health issues,” Strong said.
Although some bacteria passed through the wastewater treatment process and entered Crow Creek, Strong said officials believe the public health risk is low because the bacterium is naturally occurring and people are generally not exposed to the creek the way they could be exposed to irrigation spray.
Testing of both wastewater treatment plants has since tested negative for the bacteria, and reclaimed water irrigation has resumed. BOPU will continue routine monitoring.
The incident prompted broader restrictions. BOPU announced it will no longer accept industrial wastewater discharges associated with fill-and-flush operations or closed-loop cooling systems used by data centers. The agency also requires industrial companies using closed-loop cooling systems to construct separate collection systems, directing water from cooling equipment into storage tanks rather than the city’s sanitary sewer.
Erin Lamb, BOPU administrative and public affairs coordinator, noted the decision primarily affects future projects. “I don’t think we have any other data centers that are (using fill-and-flush) right now,” Lamb said. “I think we have some that are coming in wanting to do it, but I think all of the current data centers (use) evaporative cooling.”
Meta’s Cheyenne campus, one of the largest private construction projects in the city’s history, spans hundreds of acres and is expected to encompass roughly 800,000 square feet when completed. The first phase under construction uses a closed-loop cooling system, while the second phase will use evaporative cooling.
A Meta spokesperson said the company is supporting efforts by its general contractor, Fortis, to resolve the issue. “When the board shared that it found a substance in the city’s wastewater — not public drinking water — Fortis immediately stopped discharging industrial wastewater and began hauling it offsite,” the statement said. “Fortis also began its own water testing with an independent environmental specialist, which has found no trace of the substance.”
Cheyenne City Councilman Pete Laybourn called the disclosure an unwelcome development. “It’s a very, very unpleasant surprise,” Laybourn told Cowboy State Daily. “I have a lot yet to learn. It definitely complicates matters.”
Sources
- Wyoming Tribune Eagle — Detailed reporting on bacteria identification, BOPU’s response, and new policy restrictions
- Cowboy State Daily — Timeline of announcement, city officials’ reactions, and Meta’s statement
- Tom’s Hardware — Confirmation of contamination incident and system shutdown
