Cheyenne Officials Haven't Said Who Polluted Its Reuse Water System
Speculation is growing in Cheyenne, Wyoming, that an unidentified data center may be responsible for a rare bacterial contamination in the city's reuse wastewater system. City officials are withholding the industrial user's identity, citing ongoing legal and regulatory reviews, which has led to public frustration and demands for transparency. The incident led to the temporary shutdown and remediation of the reuse water system, with the responsible industrial user facing permit termination and significant fees.
Cheyenne, Wyoming, is grappling with a bacterial contamination in its reuse wastewater system, with growing public speculation pointing to a data center as the source. City officials, including the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities (BOPU), have refused to name the industrial user responsible for discharging cupriavidus gilardii, a rare, metal-resistant bacterium, into the sanitary sewer system, citing ongoing legal and regulatory reviews. This lack of transparency, four days after the contamination was publicly disclosed despite being detected in February, has sparked widespread frustration and public records requests.
University of Wyoming associate professor Jonathan Brant, a water treatment specialist, suggested that data center discharges would be the "first place" to look due to their heat-exchange systems potentially supplying metal-rich environments for the bacterium. Exie Brown Jr., a Republican candidate for the Wyoming House of Representatives, echoed public sentiment, demanding to know the industry behind the discharge and criticizing BOPU for reminding residents of discharge prohibitions while shielding the industrial offender.
The incident led to the city's reuse water system being taken offline as a precaution while BOPU staff undertook "significant remediation efforts," including draining and disinfecting the entire system and the Prairie View retention pond. Reuse water irrigation services have since resumed after consultation with the Laramie County Public Health Department. BOPU administrative and public affairs coordinator Erin Lamb clarified that the contamination affected only the reuse wastewater system, not the drinking water supply, and emphasized that the entity responsible will face substantial fees for remediation and will have its discharge permit terminated. Lamb stressed that the delay in identification is due to ensuring all legal and regulatory procedures are followed, stating the matter is "right in the middle of" review.