Data centers in Oregon might be helping to drive an increase in cancer and miscarriages | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessCreatorsMobilePolicySecurityTransportationReviewsExpandLaptopsPhonesHeadphonesTabletsSmart HomeSmartwatchesSpeakersDronesScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthEntertainmentExpandGamesTV ShowsMoviesAudioAIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee All ShoppingCarsExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersOther TransportationFeaturesVideosExpandYouTubeTikTokInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Data centers in Oregon might be helping to drive an increase in cancer and miscarriagesComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...NewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AIScienceCloseSciencePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ScienceData centers in Oregon might be helping to drive an increase in cancer and miscarriagesAmazon could be accelerating the dangerous levels of nitrates in Morrow County’s drinking water.Amazon could be accelerating the dangerous levels of nitrates in Morrow County’s drinking water.by Terrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienWeekend EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'BrienNov 30, 2025, 11:17 PM UTCLinkShareImage: AmazonTerrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'Brien is the Verge’s weekend editor. He has over 18 years of experience, including 10 years as managing editor at Engadget.Morrow County, Oregon is home to mega farms and food processing plants. But it’s also home to several Amazon data centers. And now, some experts believe, that combination is leading to an alarmingly high concentration of nitrates in the drinking water that is driving up cancer and miscarriage rates in the area.Rolling Stone’s exposé details how Amazon, despite not using any dangerous nitrates to cool its data centers, is accelerating the contamination of the Lower Umatilla Basin aquifer, which residents rely on for drinking water. It’s a combination of poor wastewater management, sandy soil, and good old physics that has led to nitrate concentrations in drinking water as high as 73 ppm (parts per million) in some wells, which is 10 times the state limit of 7 ppm and seven times the federal limit.According to Rolling Stone, “experts say Amazon’s arrival supercharged this process. The data centers suck up tens of millions of gallons of water from the aquifer each year to cool their computer equipment, which then gets funneled to the Port’s wastewater system.” The result is that more nitrate-laden wastewater gets pumped onto area farms. But the porous soil saturates quickly and more nitrates make their way into the aquifer.This is exacerbated when Amazon then pulls this contaminated water, which is already over federal legal limits for nitrates, up to cool its data centers:When that tainted water moves through the data centers to absorb heat from the server systems, some of the water is evaporated, but the nitrates remain, increasing the concentration. That means that when the polluted water has moved through the data centers and back into the wastewater system, it’s even more contaminated, sometimes averaging as high as 56 ppm, eight times Oregon’s safety limit.Amazon, of course, disputes this narrative. Spokesperson Lisa Levandowski told Rolling Stone that, the story was “misleading and inaccurate,” and that, “the volume of water our facilities use and return represents only a very small fraction of the overall water system — not enough to have any meaningful impact on water quality.”Levandowski also said that the area’s groundwater problems “significantly predate AWS’ (Amazon Web Services) presence.” Though, if Amazon was aware of the area’s challenges in securing enough safe drinking water for its residents, it raises questions about why the company hasn’t done more to mitigate its impact or why it even chose Morrow County in the first place.The rise in nitrates in the drinking water has been linked to a surge in rare cancers and miscarriages. But efforts to limit further contamination and provide residents with safe, clean drinking water have been slow to materialize. The limited scope of the response and the fact that 40 percent of the county’s residents live below the poverty line has drawn comparisons to the crisis in Flint, Michigan. Kristin Ostrom, executive director of Oregon Rural Action (ORA), a water rights advocacy group, told Rolling Stone, “These are people who have no political or economic power, and very little knowledge of the risk.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Terrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienWeekend EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'BrienAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AIAmazonCloseAmazonPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AmazonEnvironmentCloseEnvironmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EnvironmentHealthCloseHealthPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All HealthNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsScienceCloseSciencePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ScienceTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularThe absolute best Cyber Monday deals you can already shopThe 201 Black Friday deals you can still getNinja’s versatile Creami ice cream maker hits an all-time low for Black FridayThe Fujifilm X Half is on sale for what it should have originally costWhy Honda is suddenly launching reusable rocketsThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The article details a concerning situation in Morrow County, Oregon, where the presence of Amazon data centers is suspected of exacerbating existing nitrate contamination within the local aquifer. Rolling Stone’s reporting highlighted a potential link between the data centers’ operations and an increase in cancer rates and miscarriages within the county’s population. The core of the argument rests on the data centers’ intensive water usage – tens of millions of gallons annually – for cooling purposes. This water, after flowing through the servers, is then returned to the Port of Morrow’s wastewater system, carrying dissolved nitrates. The porous nature of the soil in the area then facilitates the further seepage of these nitrates back into the aquifer.

The problem is amplified by the fact that the water being pumped for cooling is already exceeding Oregon’s legal nitrate limits (7 ppm) and federal limits (also 7 ppm). The evaporation process during data center cooling introduces additional nitrates into the water before it’s returned to the wastewater system, often resulting in concentrations as high as 56 ppm – eight times the established safety limit. This contamination creates a feedback loop, worsening water quality and posing a significant health risk to residents who rely on the aquifer for drinking water. The situation shares similarities with the Flint, Michigan water crisis, marked by a vulnerable population lacking political or economic power and little understanding of the associated risks. The article emphasizes the slow and limited response to the contamination issue, coupled with the fact that 40% of the county’s residents live below the poverty line, intensifying the concerns about environmental justice and equitable access to clean water. Amazon disputes the Rolling Stone report, characterizing it as misleading and inaccurate, and emphasizes that the water volume returned to the system represents a small fraction of the overall water usage, minimizing its impact on water quality. However, the investigative reporting and the supporting evidence—namely, the high nitrate concentrations—raise serious concerns about the broader environmental consequences of data center operations and the potential for further harm to the local ecosystem and population.