Batam residents protest as data centres grow and taps run dry

Hundreds of residents on Indonesia's Batam island protested outside Nongsa Digital Park, saying their homes have had no running water for months while data centres keep servers cool. Officials deny household water goes to the facilities, blaming a dry spell; 10 data centres are approved on the island with over $6.7 billion in investment.

• Protest took place on October 5 at Nongsa Digital Park, residents carried empty water jugs
• Ten data centres approved on Batam, with investment topping $6.7 billion
• Data centre power demand on the island is expected to pass 1,100MW by 2030
• The reservoir serving Bakau Serip could dry up within a month without rain