During the construction of Meta's nearly $800 million data center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a rare and dangerous bacteria, Cupriavidus gilardii, was found in the sewage system.
According to the investigation, the incident was caused by the failure of the contractor, Goat Systems LLC, to comply with the rules for the initial treatment of industrial wastewater. After the incident, the city's utilities temporarily stopped receiving industrial wastewater from facilities associated with the data center and began long-term cleanup work.
According to experts, Cupriavidus gilardii is a rare type of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics. Although it rarely causes infection in healthy people, it can pose a serious threat to people with weakened immune systems. However, the bacteria has not been detected in the city's drinking water network, and no cases of infection have been recorded among residents.
The incident has renewed concerns about the environmental impact of large data centers against the backdrop of the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure. Experts say that such data centers can use millions of gallons of water per day for cooling systems and can put additional strain on local infrastructure.
