Selangor: The demand for data centres in Selangor has not pressured the domestic water supply, especially in densely populated regions, stated Ng Sze Han, the chairman of the state's Investment, Trade and Mobility Committee. Ng assured that sustainable data centre development remains a priority, aligning with environmental needs and the well-being of residents.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the state government conducts pre-investment coordination meetings with local authorities and technical agencies, such as the Department of Environment (DOE) and the Department of Town and Country Planning (PLANMalaysia) in Selangor. These meetings aim to evaluate proposed projects from the outset. This strategy ensures that aspects like electricity and water supply, noise control, air emissions, and environmental compliance are coordinated before project approval.
Ng highlighted that the Federal Government's Data Centre Task Force (DCTF) performs early-stage screenings to ensure data centres use resources efficiently and sustainably. He addressed a query from Mu'izzuddeen Mahyuddin (PN-Hulu Bernam) regarding the impact of data centres on Selangor's domestic water reserve margin during a State Legislative Assembly session.
Currently, Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) maintains a treated water reserve margin of 16.23 per cent, equivalent to 1,055 million litres per day. This surplus adequately meets both the data centre industry's needs and other new developments. Data centre developers are also mandated to establish new water supply infrastructures, including distribution pipelines and storage tanks, to ensure their water needs do not impact existing consumers.
Ng further emphasized that Air Selangor continuously monitors future water needs for data centres, with projected demand estimated at 632 million litres per day. The state government has also mandated that data centre investments incorporate 30 per cent local content, promoting business opportunities for domestic companies through pre-investment coordination meetings.
Based on data from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), 39 data centre projects have been approved in Selangor between 2021 and 2025. These projects are expected to generate over 2,400 job opportunities across technical, information technology, engineering, administrative, and other sectors.