Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 14 hrs ago
Batam residents protest amid water shortages and data centre expansion
Residents in Batam, Indonesia, protested over severe water shortages as data centres expand on the island.
The shortages have made it difficult for some people to cook, bathe and run small businesses.
The water utility says low rainfall and an electrical fault disrupted supplies, while the mayor said the crisis was not caused by data centres.
Residents have linked the shortages to new facilities, which can use water to cool computer servers.
In late September, authorities told developers to build seawater desalination plants for cooling, and some operators say they reuse water in closed-loop systems.
The dispute matters as data centre capacity in Southeast Asia is projected to triple by 2030, with growing demand for artificial intelligence.
The government has delivered water by truck, but residents say some of it is dirty; the sources give no further plan for restoring normal supply.
Batam residents have protested as water shortages make cooking and bathing difficult on the Indonesian island.
Residents in and around Nongsa believe the shortages are linked to expanding data centres, which can use water to cool servers.
The local water utility attributed the shortages to a long drought and an electrical fault that disrupted supply systems.
Batam Mayor Amsakar Achmad said the disruption was due to weather and climate factors, not data centres or investors.
Authorities told developers in late September to build seawater desalination plants for cooling.
- Who
- Batam residents, including people in Nongsa and Mata Ikan, have protested over water shortages.
- What
- Residents are protesting amid water outages and data centre expansion.
- When
- The shortages have worsened in the last six months, according to a resident; protests were reported in October.
- Where
- Batam, Indonesia, including the Nongsa district and nearby Mata Ikan.
- Why
- Residents believe the shortages are related to data centre construction. The water utility cited drought and an electrical fault.
Batam residents
Batam Mayor Amsakar Achmad and BP Batam
Cause of shortages
Batam residents
Residents in Nongsa believe the shortages are related to data centre construction.
Batam Mayor Amsakar Achmad and BP Batam
Achmad said the disruption was not caused by data centres, AI or investors, but by weather and climate factors.
Impact of outages
Batam residents
Residents said outages made cooking and bathing difficult and left some unable to make ice for small stalls.
Batam Mayor Amsakar Achmad and BP Batam
Achmad attributed the decline in water supply to weather and climate factors.
Authorities told developers to build seawater desalination plants for cooling.
Residents protested outside Nongsa Digital Park as they demanded the return of normal water supply.
Batam mayor Amsakar Achmad said the water disruption was due to weather and climate factors.
Reports described protests and water shortages in Batam.
- Location
- Batam, Indonesia
- Data centre cluster
- Nongsa Digital Park
- Water sources
- Nongsa Reservoir supplies the affected area; the tech park receives water from Duriangkang Reservoir
- Residents' account
- Sulastri said the crisis had lasted a year and worsened in the last six months
- Government response
- Developers were told in late September to build seawater desalination plants for cooling
2 sources
What people are saying
We cannot eat rice without water. We cannot cook vegetables without water.
long drought
due to weather and climate factors
smelly and yellowish