Policy · 1h ago
Meta data center water discharge suspended after contaminating Cheyenne supply
Meta's contractor contaminated Cheyenne's reuse water system with a rare metal-resistant bacterium during a data center cooling system purge. The city suspended fill-and-flush and closed-loop discharges after the incident. The bacterium was found in the city's water supply, prompting immediate action.
Meridian48 take
The incident highlights the environmental risks of data center cooling operations, especially as hyperscalers expand water-intensive infrastructure.
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Meta data center water discharges suspended after contaminating the city's water supply with bacterium — closed-loop cooling system purge spread rare metal-resistant bacterium in Cheyenne’s water system →
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