In brief
In Batam, a wave of protests erupted as locals accuse Big Data centres of draining the island’s water supply. Around 300 residents stormed the Nongsa Digital Park, demanding that authorities address the over‑use of freshwater by server farms. The water utility says it is improving supply, while the trade and industry agency blames a dry spell. The island’s reservoirs are already shrinking, and data centres are expected to consume up to 1,100 MW of power by 2030 – a figure that could strain water and energy resources further.
BATAM, INDONESIA – In a dramatic turn of events, about 300 residents of Batam stormed the compound of the growing Nongsa Digital Park last week, rushing in with empty plastic bottles and jerry cans. “Water! Water!” they shouted as anger simmered over the water flow from household taps.
“Not a single drop has come through our taps for the last three months… Our water supply had been reliable until the data centres came,” said Dewi Susanti, a protester speaking to the BBC. She added that her village, Bakau Serip, now relies on tanker trucks that deliver “dirty, cloudy and smelly” water.
The island’s water utility said it was working to improve supply, but refrained from confirming a link between the data‑centre demand and the shortages. Meanwhile, BP Batam – the agency supervising trade and industry – blamed a prolonged dry spell and denied that water meant for households was being diverted to data centres.
Batam’s reservoirs, six in total, are already under pressure. In 2024 a historic “super” El Niño further reduced rainfall, and a local environmental group estimates that the Nongsa reservoir could dry out in the next month without rainfall. Residents are worried that the rapidly expanding data‑centre sector will compete for the island’s shrinking water.
Surveys in the United States suggest a typical data‑centre consumes around 300,000 gallons of water per day – enough to run about 1,000 US households. A 50‑MW facility could rival 2,200 households, while a 360‑MW “AI factory” would need the water for 2,760 households. While exact consumption figures in Batam are unknown, the projected power demand from data centres could cross 1,100 MW by 2030, enough to supply nearly a million homes.
Local authorities have approved 10 data‑centres in Batam, six in Nongsa Digital Park, with two already operational and a third under construction. Official estimates value the industry’s investment at more than $6.7 bn as of mid‑2026, largely driven by Singapore’s short‑distance market.
Residents continue to demand that authorities address their basic needs. “Don’t just sit at the top and keep approving these projects,” said Marlinda from Sei Beduk, which also faces water shortages. She and other locals call for the government to restore their water supply before expanding the digital economy.
