Google has committed $160 million to new shared water infrastructure in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, in order to support local needs and its planned data center there.

In a statement on Monday, Google said the project includes an off-river storage reservoir and a water treatment plant. Google has appointed Gamuda Berhad to build, in coordination with the state government and its water utility, Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan.

Once operational, the facility can deliver 65 million liters of potable water a day. The plant will serve Google’s planned campus in Springhill Industrial Park in Port Dickson. It can also expand supply for public use, Google added.

The reservoir is to be built along the Linggi River to capture excess river flow and rainfall during high-yield seasons, which can help reduce flood risk in surrounding areas. Water captured there will be treated for domestic and commercial use. During low-yield periods, the plant can draw from the reservoir so supply continues without disrupting the river’s natural flow.

Google will pay for all the power its data center campus uses and the direct infrastructure costs of connecting it to the grid. Its commitment covers construction and the campus’s operating life. Google emphasized the campus as custom-designed to be among the most energy-efficient in the world. Once operating, it says the campus will support services such as Search, Maps and Chrome.

Drew Byrnes, director and head of global infrastructure and energy for Asia-Pacific at Google, said the water funding supports the company’s global goal of replenishing 120 percent of the freshwater it consumes. He said the company’s water risk assessment found local water sources were not at high risk of scarcity or depletion.

Dato’ Haji Najmuddin Sharif bin Sarimon, CEO of Invest Negeri Sembilan, said the state values the quality of the investment, including its water and power commitments and its skills programs.

Google is also working on clean power and workforce programs. It has been partnering with consortiums led by Shizen Energy-Solarvest and TotalEnergies on power purchase agreements to add new clean power to Malaysia’s national grid.

Through its collaboration with the SOLS Foundation, the company will fund a clean-energy literacy program that installs a 2.56-kWp solar array and 5.4-kWh battery storage in each participating public school, and a 36-hour digital skills track in the SOLS Solar Academy. Both are due to roll out in Negeri Sembilan in early 2027.

Data centers to strain power supply across four Asian hubs – BMI