Amazon Data Services Eastern Oregon Water Class Action Settlement
Amazon Data Services Eastern Oregon Water Class Action Settlement
Amazon Data Services, Inc. (ADS) agreed to pay $20.5 million to settle claims that wastewater from its data centers in the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area in Morrow and Umatilla Counties, Oregon contributes to nitrate pollution in groundwater. People who currently own or rent property or live in that area are Settlement Class Members, and the fund will pay for Public Infrastructure Projects, which require no claim form, and Private Well Projects for eligible well owners. Claim forms for Private Well Projects are not open yet and will be announced in a later notice.
Settlement fund
$20.5M
Non-reversionary settlement fund
Top payout
Automatic
Well projects by later claim; public projects need no claim
Claim form
Claims not open
Well claim notice coming later
Claims are not open yet
Keep your contact information current with the Settlement Administrator so you receive the Private Well claim notice.
Do you qualify?
You are a Class Member if ALL of the following apply:
- You currently own or rent property in, or reside in, the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area (LUBGWMA) in Morrow and Umatilla Counties, Oregon.
- The LUBGWMA is bounded by the Columbia River to the north, the 2N/3N Township Boundary to the south, the 29E/30E Range Boundary to the east, and the 22E/23E Range Boundary to the west.
- No claim form is needed to benefit from Public Infrastructure Projects. Private Well Project funding will require a claim form at a later date, and requires an existing drinking water well with recent sampling exceeding Safe Drinking Water Act levels (or nitrate above 70% of those levels) and an accessible, cleaner basalt aquifer.
- Excluded: Anyone who requested exclusion by the September 8, 2026 deadline. People who opted out cannot receive Private Well Project funding.
- Excluded: ADS and its affiliates, officers, directors, and legal successors, the Court and its staff, and attorneys and employees of Class Counsel.
Not sure if you qualify? Call the Settlement Administrator toll-free at 1-877-317-7870, email info@EasternOregonWaterSettlement.com, write to Pearson v. Amazon Data Services, Inc., Settlement Administrator, PO Box 2855, Portland, OR 97208-2855, or visit EasternOregonWaterSettlement.com.
What happened
Plaintiffs allege that wastewater from data centers and other facilities that ADS operates in the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area contributes to nitrate pollution in local groundwater, and that nitrates pose health and environmental risks. A related case, Pearson v. Port of Morrow et al., Case No. 2:24-cv-00362, is still pending against defendants that did not settle.
ADS denies the allegations and any wrongdoing, and the Court has made no finding of wrongdoing. The parties agreed to settle to avoid the cost, risk, and delay of continued litigation. The $20.5 million non-reversionary fund will pay Court-approved attorneys' fees, costs, and service awards, and the remaining amount will fund Private Well Projects and Public Infrastructure Projects under an allocation plan the Court must still approve.
How to file a claim
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1. Confirm you are eligible
You are a Settlement Class Member if you currently own or rent property in, or live in, the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area in Morrow and Umatilla Counties, Oregon. If you are unsure whether your property is inside the area, call the Settlement Administrator at 1-877-317-7870.
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2. Understand the two types of benefits
Public Infrastructure Projects may pay for extending water pipelines to households on private wells, accessing additional sustainable water sources, treating wastewater, and maintaining or improving public water and wastewater systems. You do not need to file anything to benefit. Private Well Projects may pay to extend or alter an existing private drinking water well to reach the cleaner basalt aquifer, if recent sampling shows nitrate above Safe Drinking Water Act levels (or above 70% of those levels) and the basalt aquifer is accessible. No per-well amount has been announced.
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3. Watch for the Private Well claim notice
Claims are not open yet. A later notice will explain how and when to submit a Private Well Project claim form. Keep your contact information current with the Settlement Administrator by calling 1-877-317-7870, emailing info@EasternOregonWaterSettlement.com, or writing to PO Box 2855, Portland, OR 97208-2855. The notice, Settlement Agreement, and other filings are posted on the settlement documents page, and updates appear on the official settlement website.
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4. Receive benefits after approval
Funding for Private Well Projects and Public Infrastructure Projects will come after the Court grants final approval at the January 12, 2027 Fairness Hearing, any appeals are resolved, and the Court approves an allocation plan. No distribution timeline has been announced.
Key dates
- Sep 8, 2026 Opt-out & objection deadline Passed
- None Private Well claim period to be announced Upcoming
- Jan 12, 2027 Final Fairness Hearing (10:00 a.m. PT) Upcoming
- TBD after final approval Payments issued to claimants Pending
The Fairness Hearing is scheduled for January 12, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. PT before the Honorable Michael H. Simon at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse, 1000 SW Third Avenue, Room 1527, Portland, OR 97204-2944. The hearing may move or be held by Zoom or telephone. The exclusion deadline (September 8, 2026) and the objection deadline (October 8, 2026) have passed. Check EasternOregonWaterSettlement.com for updates and for the later notice about Private Well Project claims.
Where the money is going
ADS will pay $20.5 million into a non-reversionary settlement fund. After Court-approved attorneys' fees, litigation expenses, service awards, and any administration costs are deducted, the remaining amount will pay for Private Well Projects and Public Infrastructure Projects. The split between the two has not been announced and depends on an allocation plan the Court must approve.
All amounts listed above are pending and subject to final court approval at the Fairness Hearing. The Court may award less than the amounts requested. The estimated remaining amount is our own arithmetic and does not account for any administration costs paid from the fund.
Common questions
How much money will I receive?
There is no set individual cash payment. The net fund will pay for Public Infrastructure Projects and Private Well Projects. No per-well amount has been announced, and the split between project types depends on an allocation plan the Court must approve.
Do I need to submit proof of purchase?
You do not need to submit anything to benefit from Public Infrastructure Projects. Private Well Project funding will require a claim form at a later date, and eligibility depends on recent well sampling results showing elevated nitrate and an accessible basalt aquifer.
What if I didn’t receive a notice?
The class includes everyone who currently owns or rents property or lives in the LUBGWMA, whether or not they received a notice. To make sure you receive the later Private Well claim notice, contact the Settlement Administrator at 1-877-317-7870 or info@EasternOregonWaterSettlement.com.
Does staying in the class affect my right to sue later?
Settlement Class Members who did not opt out give up the right to sue or continue suing ADS and the Released Parties over the Released Claims described in Section X.A of the Settlement Agreement. The exclusion deadline was September 8, 2026.
When will payments be sent out?
Project funding will begin only after the Court grants final approval at the January 12, 2027 Fairness Hearing, any appeals are resolved, and the Court approves an allocation plan. No timeline has been announced.
Dapeer Law, P.A.
Consumer class action attorneys based in South Florida. We track settlements so you don’t have to.
Similar open settlements
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Dapeer Law, P.A. is not the administrator of this settlement and is not affiliated with Amazon Data Services, Inc., Epiq (the Settlement Administrator), or Class Counsel Steve W. Berman of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, John Heenan of Heenan & Cook, and Michael A. Bliven of Bliven Law Firm, PC. The case is Pearson et al. v. Amazon Data Services, Inc., Case No. 2:26-cv-00633, pending in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon before the Honorable Michael H. Simon. Class representatives are Michael Pearson, James Suter, Silvia Suter, Rosa Cavasos, Jeffrey Fleming, and Jon Haley. ADS denies wrongdoing. This website is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.