The Impact of Data Centers in Oregon on Health: Exploring the Link to Cancer and Miscarriages

Morrow County, Oregon: A Concerning Issue of Nitrates in Drinking Water

Morrow County, Oregon is a region known for its large-scale farms, food processing plants, and Amazon data centers. However, recent reports suggest a troubling trend of high nitrate levels in the drinking water, which is believed to be contributing to increased rates of cancer and miscarriages among residents.

Rolling Stone has shed light on how Amazon’s presence in the area, despite not directly using nitrates for cooling its data centers, is exacerbating the contamination of the Lower Umatilla Basin aquifer. Poor wastewater management practices, combined with the region’s sandy soil composition, have led to nitrate concentrations in some wells reaching alarmingly high levels, far exceeding state and federal limits.

According to the investigative report by Rolling Stone, the influx of Amazon’s data centers has accelerated the nitrate contamination process. The excessive water usage by these data centers for cooling purposes, coupled with inadequate wastewater treatment, has resulted in more nitrates seeping into the aquifer, subsequently affecting the drinking water quality for local residents.

The situation worsens as the contaminated water, already surpassing legal nitrate limits, is cycled back for cooling within Amazon’s data centers. The evaporation process during cooling only intensifies the nitrate concentration, leading to even more polluted water being discharged into the wastewater system.

As the tainted water circulates through the data centers to dissipate heat, the nitrates remain concentrated, resulting in a further increase in pollution levels. This means that by the time the water completes its cycle through the data centers and re-enters the wastewater system, it contains significantly higher nitrate levels, sometimes exceeding Oregon’s safety threshold by eightfold.

Amazon has refuted these claims, with spokesperson Lisa Levandowski dismissing the allegations as “misleading and inaccurate.” She asserts that Amazon’s water consumption and discharge have minimal impact on the overall water system and quality.

Levandowski also points out that the groundwater issues in the area existed prior to Amazon’s presence, indicating that the company’s activities are not solely responsible for the current predicament. However, questions linger about Amazon’s awareness of the water challenges in Morrow County and its efforts to address or mitigate these issues.

The surge in nitrate levels in the local drinking water has been linked to a rise in rare cancers and miscarriages among residents. Despite these alarming health implications, initiatives to curb further contamination and provide clean drinking water have been sluggish. The comparison drawn to the Flint water crisis underscores the urgency of the situation, particularly considering the high poverty rate among Morrow County’s population.