One Virginia homeowner has said life next to Amazon's newest data center construction has meant brown tap water, nighttime noise, and dust and mud from heavy truck traffic, along with growing worries about his home and business.
A judge has now allowed his lawsuit against the company to continue.
What happened?
Since work began on Amazon's second data center in Louisa County, Virginia, Austin Newsom, a homeowner and co-owner of Central VA Marine, said it has disrupted his day-to-day life.
Newsom spoke with Virginia Mercury about the disruptions he and his family have faced, as well as his legal actions against the tech giant.
The data center is across the street from Newsom's property. Amazon plans to build a campus there with 10 buildings, multiple substations, stormwater structures, and other infrastructure, with completion expected in 2031, per Virginia Mercury.
After construction got underway, he said, his well water began turning brown on and off for months. Newsom told the outlet that his well has "made it through four major droughts we've had since the '50s and never had an issue with it."
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He added, "I've lived here for 11 to 12 years. Never had an issue with it ever until they started doing things over there."
In addition to the brown well water, his home has allegedly dealt with severe light and sound pollution. Newsom said he can't find anyone interested in buying the property once they find out Amazon has moved in across the street.
The situation has gotten so dire that Erin Brockovich has gotten involved, advocating on Newsom's behalf.
Newsom sued Amazon in August 2025, alleging in a private nuisance case that vibrations from the project have cracked his home's foundation, interfered with drainage, reduced his property value, and affected his mental health, among other issues.
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Amazon sought to have the case dismissed, arguing that "the brown water, noise, diminished air quality, and light pollution, are each insubstantial."
But Virginia Mercury reported that Judge Jasmine H. Yoon has now allowed the nuisance claim to move forward.
What's being done?
Amazon has taken some mitigation steps, including deploying street sweepers and spraying water on the road to control dust. But Newsom said those efforts have not gone far enough.
"They got this truck out there that just pretty much just dumps water on the road," Newsom told Virginia Mercury. "Now all the mud just washes into my driveway."
The legal battle is still unfolding, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 19.
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