‘Not a single drop’: AI data centre boom sparks water protests on Indonesian island

 Around 300 residents of Batam island protested against water shortages that disrupted their daily lives. They accused data centres of depleting local freshwater resources amidst the ongoing water crisis. The local water utility has promised improvements, but concerns continue to grow regarding water access. Authorities have instructed data centre companies to establish their own desalination plants to alleviate pressure on reservoirs. Around 300 residents of Batam island protested against water shortages that disrupted their daily lives. They accused data centres of depleting local freshwater resources amidst the ongoing water crisis. The local water utility has promised improvements, but concerns continue to grow regarding water access. Authorities have instructed data centre companies to establish their own desalination plants to alleviate pressure on reservoirs.