Wyoming strengthens wastewater regulations after Meta contractor's contamination incident

Officials in Wyoming announced new wastewater regulations on Tuesday after a contractor for Meta, the tech company founded by Mark Zuckerberg, discharged bacteria-contaminated water into public sewers during the construction of a new AI datacenter. This incident, reported by the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, raised significant concerns regarding local water safety.

Details of the Contamination Incident

The contamination was discovered in February during routine testing of wastewater from the cooling system at the datacenter campus in Cheyenne's High Plains Business Park. The Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities identified Goat Systems LLC, a contractor working on the 800,000 sq ft facility known as Project Cosmo, as responsible for the discharge.

Meta stated that it was collaborating with local officials to rectify the situation and emphasized that drinking water supplies remained unaffected. An independent environmental specialist's tests found no trace of the rare Cupriavidus gilardii bacterium in the drinking water.

New Wastewater Regulations Implemented

In response to the incident, the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities permanently revoked Meta's authority to discharge wastewater into the city's treatment facilities. New regulations have been adopted, which prohibit wastewater discharges from datacenters employing closed-loop cooling systems and require separate collection systems for water from cooling equipment.

Frank Strong, the board’s engineering and water resource division manager, highlighted the importance of these measures: “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.”

Community Concerns and Future Actions

Public opposition to the Project Cosmo mega datacenter had been mounting prior to the contamination incident, with residents voicing concerns over the environmental impact of resource-intensive datacenters. The Cowboy State Daily reported on the growing backlash against such projects in Cheyenne and across Wyoming.

In a statement to the Guardian, a Meta spokesperson asserted that the company took immediate action upon learning of the contamination. “Fortis immediately stopped discharging industrial wastewater and began hauling it offsite,” the spokesperson said. “Meta is committed to being a good neighbor in Cheyenne, including through the protection of local water resources.”

Erin Lamb, the board's administrative and public affairs coordinator, announced that a press conference would be held soon to address the media and community concerns.