Google has announced an investment of US$160 million (~RM651 million) to develop new water supply infrastructure in Negeri Sembilan. The project is intended to support its planned data centre campus in Port Dickson while also improving water supply for the surrounding communities.
In collaboration with the Negeri Sembilan state government and Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan (SAINS), Google has appointed Gamuda Berhad to construct an off-river storage reservoir and a new water treatment plant. Once operational, the latter will have the capacity to supply 65 million litres of treated water daily for domestic, commercial, and data centre use.
Located along the Linggi River, the reservoir will capture excess river flow and rainwater during periods of high water availability. Besides storing water for use during periods of low river flow, it will also serve as a retention basin to help mitigate flooding in surrounding areas.
Upon completion, both facilities will be owned by Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan (Incorporated) (MBINS), a state statutory body responsible for managing government assets. The infrastructure will support Google’s upcoming data centre campus at the Springhill Industrial Park in Port Dickson.
The investment also addresses concerns over the water consumption of large-scale data centres, with Google reiterating its global ambition to replenish 120% of the freshwater it consumes. The company added that it will fully cover the electricity costs of its data centre campus, including the direct infrastructure expenses required to connect it to the power grid.
Additionally, Google says it is expanding its partnership with the SOLS Foundation through two initiatives involving education and renewable energy training. These include setting up solar energy laboratories in participating government schools and introducing a 36-hour digital skills training programme for youths interested in pursuing careers in the renewable energy sector, with both initiatives scheduled to begin in Negeri Sembilan in early 2027.
(Source: Google Malaysia press release)
