Water usage by data centers is one of the issues that needs to be taken seriously before it causes a future water crisis. Last year, Google alone used 6.1 billion gallons of water to cool its data centers. This is equivalent to the water capacity to fill 9,242 Olympic-sized swimming pools. In Malaysia, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) wants to offer reclaimed water for use in data centers.
The water reclamation plant in Setia Alam, which IWK is working on in collaboration with Air Selangor, for example, provides 4 million liters of reclaimed water every day for industrial use. Ensuring more sustainable water use will reduce the burden on potable water resources. Reclaimed water is wastewater that has been processed but is not potable. Therefore, it is compatible with use for industrial uses such as cooling systems.
This IWK initiative is in line with the National Water Transformation Plan 2040 (AIR 2040) launched by the government with the aim of strengthening Malaysia's water sector through sustainable resource management, private sector participation and advanced technology. This will contribute to the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) target of supplying 200 million litres of reclaimed water per day by 2030.
IWK is currently working to expand the use of reclaimed water throughout Malaysia, having signed memorandums of understanding with Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang Sdn Bhd (PBAPP) and Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad (SAMB). They are also working with water operators in Negeri Sembilan and Johor.