Batam residents protest data center expansion as water shortages worsen
Data centers can require substantial amounts of water, particularly for cooling servers. Large-scale facilities can consume as much as 5 million gallons a day, equivalent to the daily water needs of a city of 10,000 to 50,000 people.
Residents of Nongsa district on Batam island are protesting the expansion of the Nongsa Digital Park data center due to severe water shortages. These data centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water daily, enough to supply a city of 10,000 to 50,000 people. For months, the district has faced cut-off water supplies, with one protester stating they were without water for up to six months since construction began.
Protesters blocked access to the data center on Monday, joining a series of similar protests over the last two months. The road blockade was met with police and military personnel, who directed vehicles to use alternative routes. The protesting residents assured authorities they would disperse after a promise from a BP Batam official to restore water supplies within two days. However, water only reached approximately half of the affected areas as of Wednesday.
Even with the partial water restoration, residents remain dissatisfied and threaten further protests if the issue is not resolved promptly. One Nongsa resident expressed frustration, vowing to continue demonstrations until the water supply problem is addressed.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
