Indonesians furious as Batam data centres drain taps: ‘we cannot cook without water’
Quick Look
Residents in Batam, Indonesia are protesting data centres amid a water shortage caused by drought and El Niño, as the facilities use water to cool servers powering AI tools.
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Why It Matters
Batam, an Indonesian island, experienced a long drought caused by low rainfall as a strong El Niño cycle exacerbates dry weather. Data centres that cool servers for AI tools have drawn resident anger amid water scarcity.
Cooking and bathing became difficult when taps ran dry in Batam, an Indonesian island where residents are protesting against data centres springing up to power the global artificial intelligence boom.
The area had suffered a “long drought” caused by low rainfall, the local water utility operator said, as a strong El Nino cycle exacerbates dry weather.
But, as in other countries, anger has been directed at the data centres, warehouse-like facilities that keep apps and AI tools running, with water often used to cool their humming servers.
Open Questions
- How many data centres are operating in Batam?
- What specific water usage do the data centres account for?
- What actions are authorities taking in response to the protests?
