Batam residents protest water shortages near Nongsa Digital Park

The water ran dry in some Batam communities during severe recent outages, forcing 54-year-old tradesman Juniardi Adinda Sembiring Gurukinayan to sometimes skip his shower. “We cannot eat rice without water. We cannot cook vegetables without water,” he told AFP. Dozens of people spontaneously protested near the digital park, which holds special economic zone status, according to UA.News.

Why the taps ran dry in Batam

The local water utility operator said the area had suffered a “long drought” caused by low rainfall, with a strong El Niño cycle exacerbating dry weather, AFP reported. Hinda Alamsyah, a representative of water supply operator Air Batam Hilir, said the water level in the nearby Nongsa reservoir had dropped sharply due to the prolonged drought and low rainfall, and the situation was complicated by a malfunction of electrical equipment in the water supply system, UA.News reported. In the coastal village of Mata Ikan, residents said they had to use seawater for hygiene needs. Resident Sulasri said the water crisis had lasted for about a year and had worsened particularly over the past six months, and that government tanker trucks delivered water that had an unpleasant smell and a yellowish color.

What Batam’s mayor says caused the shortage

Batam Mayor and head of the local BP Batam authority Amsakar Achmad said in October that recent disruptions in water distribution “was not caused by data centres or AI or investors entering that sector,” according to local media cited by AFP. The decline in water supply was instead “due to weather and climate factors,” he said.

Which companies are building data centers in Nongsa Digital Park

Companies named as having operating or planned data centers in Nongsa Digital Park include the Singapore-headquartered BW Digital, DayOne, and Princeton Digital Group, AFP reported. Another owner, Hong Kong-based Gaw Capital Partners, said it was “aware of the distress and frustration expressed by local residents in Nongsa and surrounding Batam communities” over water shortages. Gaw Capital Partners said its data centers were to use a combination of engineering solutions, efficient design, and renewable energy sources, including closed-loop water systems that make it possible to reuse water and reduce the need for fresh water, UA.News reported. According to an industry source, Nongsa Digital Park receives water from another reservoir, Duriangkang.

What authorities ordered developers to build in September

At the end of September, authorities ordered developers to build seawater desalination facilities for cooling in order to reduce pressure on local resources, UA.News reported. Ginda, a representative of water provider ABH, said the company supports policies to encourage investment and development in Batam, south of Singapore and connected to it by undersea cables, but added that water demand must be managed properly. ABH is trying to boost the capacity of Batam’s six reservoirs by dredging them, with cloud seeding another option in dry periods, AFP reported.

Questions readers still ask about Batam’s water crisis

Is the water shortage caused by data centers? Batam Mayor Amsakar Achmad said in October that disruptions were not caused by data centers or AI investors, attributing the decline to weather and climate factors. The water utility cited drought and equipment malfunction.

According to an industry source, the park receives water from the Duriangkang reservoir, while the nearby Nongsa reservoir that serves residents has dropped sharply.

What are developers required to build now? At the end of September, authorities ordered developers to build seawater desalination facilities for cooling to reduce pressure on local water resources.

How residents are getting water now

The government delivers water by tanker trucks to affected areas like Mata Ikan village, though residents report the water has an unpleasant smell and yellowish color. ABH is dredging Batam’s six reservoirs to boost capacity and considering cloud seeding during dry periods.