Corporation Amazon has agreed to pay $20.5 million to settle claims that its data centers in Morrow County, Oregon, contributed to nitrate contamination of groundwater. Although the company denies any wrongdoing and insists it is not the source of the contamination, it decided to reach a pretrial settlement. According to Amazon, this will allow time and resources to be devoted to supporting the local community rather than to litigation. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the company faces strong regulatory and reputational incentives to implement high environmental standards across its operations, often voluntarily applying “green” practices in neighboring regions—even where local laws are less strict—to standardize processes and maintain its image.
The main source of nitrates in the groundwater of this agricultural region is runoff from farms using fertilizers and manure. Critics, however, contend that Amazon’s data centers exacerbate the problem. Water they draw for cooling servers partly evaporates, and the returned remainder contains higher concentrations of minerals, including nitrates. Thus, plaintiffs argue, the company’s operations increase the burden on an already polluted water system.
Proceeds from the settlement with Amazon will be used to help households that rely on wells by providing them with clean drinking water. A broader class-action suit on behalf of local residents is still ongoing. Defendants in that case include food processors, farming operations, utility providers and the Port of Morrow administration. Plaintiffs’ attorneys call Amazon’s payment only a “first step” in addressing the larger environmental problem.
Despite the dispute, Amazon is actively expanding its presence in eastern Oregon. In 2024 alone its data centers in the state used about 284 million gallons of water. The company recently acquired large parcels of land to build new facilities, including one touted as the state’s first exaflop-scale data center, reflecting its long-term plans in the region. The choice of rural areas of the Pacific Northwest for such facilities is driven by low land costs, access to inexpensive hydroelectric power, cooler climates that reduce cooling costs, tax incentives, and the physical space available—space not found in densely built Seattle.
Based on: Amazon to pay $20 million to settle Oregon data center pollution claims