What happened
On Indonesia's Batam island, residents protested as data centers multiply; the local water utility blamed a "long drought" from low rainfall, worsened by a strong El Nino cycle.
Why it matters
Anger is being aimed at the warehouse-like facilities that keep apps and AI tools running, since water is often used to cool their servers.
WHO IT HITSResidents of Batam and nearby regions bordering Singapore are most directly affected, facing dry taps for cooking and bathing as data centers are built nearby. Data center operators and planners choosing sites in these border areas may face growing local opposition.
Summaries like this, every morning.
The protests in Batam come against a backdrop the local water utility describes as a "long drought" caused by low rainfall, with a strong El Nino cycle exacerbating dry weather. That scarcity is what has turned public attention toward the data centers springing up on the island, warehouse-like facilities that keep apps and artificial intelligence tools running and often use water to cool their humming servers.
Frustration is bubbling over in Indonesia and Malaysia, particularly in regions bordering Singapore that are seen as a prime location for new tech facilities. Nongsa Digital Park, described as a hub for AI-based data center and digital infrastructure development, sits in this area, and the November 3 photo accompanying the report shows the site in Batam, Riau Islands.
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