US Datacenters Face Renewed Scrutiny Over Wastewater Pollution

US datacenters are facing renewed scrutiny after a series of incidents involving alleged wastewater pollution, according to a report by The Guardian.

In Wyoming, officials conducting a routine test on water discharged from a massive under-construction Meta datacenter found it contained Cupriavidus gilardii, a rare and potentially hazardous bacterium, the report said. The wastewater, totaling 801,000 gallons, was released into sewers in Cheyenne earlier this year by a contractor working on the site, according to the report. The Guardian noted that the water was never destined for the public drinking supply, but officials still found the discovery unsettling.

The Wyoming case is described as part of a broader pattern of violations or alleged pollution incidents tied to datacenter construction and operations across the United States, according to the report. The Guardian cited concerns ranging from rare bacteria to so-called "forever chemicals," a class of persistent synthetic compounds known as PFAS that have been linked to health and environmental risks.

The report said the incidents have prompted alarm among officials and communities near datacenter sites, as the rapid expansion of such facilities—driven in part by growing demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure—has intensified scrutiny of their environmental footprint, including water use and wastewater management.

The Guardian's report did not specify additional details on regulatory responses or penalties related to the Wyoming incident or other cases mentioned. Meta has not been quoted directly in the excerpt regarding the discharge.