Batam residents protest data centers amid water shortages
The local water utility attributed the Indonesian island’s prolonged drought to low rainfall as a strong El Nino cycle worsens dry conditions.
Residents on the Indonesian island of Batam are protesting the expansion of data centers as water shortages leave households struggling to prepare meals and bathe. The facilities are being developed amid growing global demand for artificial intelligence.
The local water utility operator blamed low rainfall for a prolonged drought in the area. A strong El Nino cycle is intensifying the dry weather.
Residents have directed their anger toward data centers, which house servers supporting apps and AI tools. Such facilities often rely on water for cooling, and have also drawn anger in other countries.
