Nongsa residents protest water shortages linked to data centers

Water Shortages Spark Nongsa Protests

Residents in Nongsa, Batam, blocked access to the Nongsa Digital Park on October 5, 2026, protesting months of severe water shortages they claim are exacerbated by local data center expansion. The competing demands of high-tech infrastructure and public utility needs have reached a breaking point, leaving some households without piped water for up to six months.

The Battle for Nongsa’s Reservoirs

The blockade brought police and military personnel to the site to manage traffic as demonstrators voiced their frustration over a perceived double standard: data centers receiving consistent supply while local taps remained dry. The Batam Indonesia Free Zone Authority (BP Batam) has officially denied that industrial operations are to blame, pointing instead to dry weather and falling levels in the Nongsa Reservoir.

Following the protest, authorities scrambled to address the crisis. BP Batam committed to restoring service within two days and deployed six tanker trucks for emergency relief. By October 7, the agency reported that water services had been restored to approximately 53 percent of the impacted neighborhoods.

Industrial Growth Versus Public Utility

The friction in Batam highlights a growing national tension. While BP Batam data from September 2026 identifies 10 planned data center developments in the city, environmental group WALHI estimates the actual number of projects in development or operation could be as high as 16 to 18.

To ease the strain, the government is looking toward technological intervention. Minister of Transmigration Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara advocated for Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) technology. “Investment must go hand-in-hand with responsibility,” Suryanagara said. BP Batam estimates that installing SWRO plants in the Nongsa Special Economic Zone and Kabil industrial area could eventually bolster local capacity by 1,000 liters per second.

Industry Demands for Regulatory Certainty

Data center developers are now calling for a more predictable regulatory landscape to navigate these infrastructure hurdles. Hendra Suryakusuma, chairman of the Indonesian Data Center Provider Organization (IDPRO), told The Jakarta Post that the industry requires clearer rules regarding building, environmental, and water usage permits. The organization has proposed an “integrated pre-construction readiness process” to streamline government approvals. Hendra added, “What investors need is certainty about the requirements, who makes the decisions, the sequence of the process and how long it will take to complete.” He suggested that while the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) could coordinate, local governments must retain a central role due to their knowledge of environmental capacity and community conditions.

A National Call for Moratoriums

Regulatory pressure is mounting following the halt of a BDx data center project in Jatiluhur, West Java. West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi paused the project, citing a lack of required permits, even though he had attended the start of construction on July 28. While WALHI has estimated that the Jatiluhur facility could consume up to 33 million liters of water daily, the organization is now lobbying for a national moratorium on new construction. They argue for stricter oversight on energy efficiency and cumulative environmental impact assessments.

Defining Future Governance

“Digital transformation should not create a new ecological crisis whose burden is borne by communities,” Wahyu said.