Amazon Forced to Pay $20.5 Million After Poisoning Oregon Drinking Water with Data Center Waste

In late March 2026, Amazon agreed to pay 20.5 million dollars to resolve claims that its data centers in Morrow County, Oregon contributed to nitrate pollution affecting local groundwater. The settlement came without any admission of wrongdoing by the company.

The Contaminated Aquifer

The Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area, established by Oregon environmental officials in 1990, spans sections of Morrow and Umatilla counties. This aquifer supplies drinking water to around 45,000 people, many of whom use private wells. For decades, nitrates from farm fertilizers, food processing plants, and other sources have polluted the water.

Recent tests by state health authorities since 2024 found unsafe nitrate levels in at least 634 private wells. Some wells showed concentrations almost ten times above the federal safe drinking water standard. Health officials link high nitrates to serious risks including blue baby syndrome in infants, higher chances of certain cancers, thyroid problems, and increased rates of miscarriages.

Amazon Data Centers and the Lawsuit

Amazon started operating data centers in Morrow County around 2011. The facilities consume large amounts of water for cooling computer servers. Residents claimed in the lawsuit that Amazon drew nitrate-laden groundwater, used it for cooling, and then returned more concentrated wastewater to the local system. This wastewater was later spread on fields, allowing more nitrates to seep back into the aquifer.

The class action case, known as Pearson v. Port of Morrow, was filed in February 2024 in federal court in Pendleton. It named Amazon, the Port of Morrow, food processor Lamb Weston, and various agricultural operations as defendants. Attorneys Steve Berman from Hagens Berman, along with partners from Bliven Law Firm and Heenan & Cook, represented the affected residents. The plaintiffs sought funding for well replacements, health monitoring, and better water infrastructure.

Amazon maintained that its operations added no new nitrates and used only a small portion of the regional water. Records show that in 2024 Amazon facilities across Oregon consumed 284 million gallons of water, with 136 million gallons coming from the Port of Morrow.

On March 31, 2026, Amazon Data Services Inc. reached the 20.5 million dollar agreement to end the litigation. The settlement still requires final court approval.

Terms of the Agreement

After legal fees, most of the money will go toward two main efforts. First, it will help build new private wells that reach deeper, cleaner parts of the aquifer for impacted households. Second, it will support improvements to public water systems for treatment and delivery of safer water.

The six named plaintiffs will each receive a one-time payment of 5,000 dollars. Eligible residents in the affected area may also benefit. Lawsuits against the other defendants continue.

Broader Implications

This case draws attention to conflicts between expanding data centers and local environmental conditions, especially in rural farming communities. Many residents in Morrow County come from lower-income and Latino backgrounds. Some have had to depend on bottled water or temporary state deliveries while dealing with unsafe wells.

The health effects of long-term nitrate exposure remain a major worry for children, pregnant people, and other vulnerable groups. The outcome could influence similar disputes in other regions facing rapid data center growth alongside pre-existing pollution.

While data centers provide jobs and tax income, they also place extra pressure on water resources and local infrastructure. The situation raises important questions about sustainable practices as artificial intelligence drives higher energy and cooling demands.

For communities focused on transparency and accountability, the settlement emphasizes the importance of monitoring corporate impacts on essential resources like clean water. It also shows how technology operations can interact with agricultural pollution in unexpected ways.

References

• Oregon Capital Chronicle, March 31, 2026. Amazon to pay 20.5 million settlement over northeast Oregon nitrate pollution.

• The Food & Environment Reporting Network, March 31, 2026.

• Hagens Berman press release, March 31, 2026.

• OPB, March 31, 2026.

• OregonLive, March 31, 2026.

• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality reports on the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area, updated through 2026.