Latest news with #RM164.45bil
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Johor pioneering wastewater recycling in data centre operations, says MB
JOHOR BARU: Johor has set a national precedent by becoming the first Malaysian state to integrate wastewater recycling into Tier 4 data centre operations, marrying cutting-edge digital infrastructure with sustainable resource management. Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi highlighted that this breakthrough bolsters Johor's position as the leading data centre hub in the country while supporting its long-term economic and environmental strategies. "To date, more than 50 applications for the construction of data centres have been received, with 42 projects already approved as of the second quarter of 2025," he stated. These projects represent RM164.45bil in total investments and have the potential to generate over 6,000 job opportunities for Malaysians, particularly Johoreans. Onn Hafiz, who is also the Machap assemblyman, shared this during the Alternative Water Usage Recognition Ceremony for the Data Centre Industry on Monday (Aug 11). He added that seven new applications involving water usage of up to 76 million litres per day are currently being reviewed by Johor Special Water (JSW) in collaboration with utility providers and the state government. The data centre industry has become a key driver for the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), the Johor Digital Plan, and the state's broader economic transformation agenda towards a competitive, high-value ecosystem. Rapid growth in the sector must be balanced with strategic and sustainable management of energy and water resources, Onn Hafiz emphasised. "To ensure this, the Johor Data Centre Development Coordination Committee was set up, co-chaired by three state executive councillors, to oversee data centre projects through a transparent review process," he said. The committee focuses on ensuring facilities adopt renewable energy sources and alternative water solutions to reduce pressure on the state's potable water supply. JSW, a subsidiary of Permodalan Darul Ta'zim Sdn Bhd, has partnered with national sewerage company Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) to supply alternative water sources for data centre cooling systems. Water supply options include raw water, reclaimed (recycled) water, and desalinated water. Under a 2011 agreement, JSW was granted exclusive rights by IWK to carry out wastewater reclamation projects across Johor for industrial use. As of June 30, JSW had received requests from data centre operators for a total of 136 million litres per day of alternative water supply. On Monday, three agreements were formalised to enhance the integration of reclaimed water into the state's data centre operations. The first agreement between IWK and JSW will channel treated effluent from sewage treatment plants across Johor into reclaimed water production facilities. The second agreement, involving JSW, Bridge Data Centres (BDC), and Computility Technology (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, covers the use of reclaimed water in cooling systems. BDC has been producing reclaimed water since June 9 at its Ulu Tiram plant, while Computility's facility in Iskandar Puteri is scheduled to be operational by December. The third agreement between JSW and DayOne Data Centres Sdn Bhd involves supplying raw water from the Tebrau River to a data centre in Kempas Tech Park, with operations expected to begin in November. Onn Hafiz said the initiative will not only reduce reliance on treated water for industrial use but also reinforce Johor's reputation as a green industry leader.
The Star
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Data centres in Johor explore alternative water sources
JOHOR BARU: Several data centres in Johor are exploring the use of alternative water sources – including waste water – in a bid to reduce reliance on treated water supply, says state exco member Lee Ting Han. The Johor investment, trade, consumer affairs and human resources committee chairman said a data centre is already in the process of using such an alternative, with the help of Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) and Johor Special Water (JSW), a state-owned entity. 'Two other data centres are currently exploring the use of alternative water from IWK's sewage treatment plants and direct river intake as part of efforts to reduce reliance on potable water. 'We expect more to follow suit, as two other centres have expressed interest in it,' he said. 'We think they (data centres) would likely want to transition with or without incentives because switching to alternative water sources is good for their Environmental Sustainability and Governance profile,' he added. The state government previously gave assurances that steps have been taken to ensure domestic water users do not face interruptions, amid huge consumption by data centres. In April, Asia Pacific and Japan hyperscale data centre specialist AirTrunk announced a partnership with JSW to jointly develop a recycled water supply scheme for its Johor campuses. State housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said all new data centre applications must be vetted by the Johor Data Centre Development Coordination Committee (JPPDNJ). Johor recorded RM164.45bil in investments from 42 data centre projects as of the end of last year, which also generated 6,145 job opportunities for locals. Of the 42, 13 data centres have started operating, 15 are under construction, while the remaining 14 have been vetted and approved by JPPDNJ, he said. 'The applications must comply with benchmarks set for power usage effectiveness (PUE) and water usage effectiveness (WUE),' he said. In Johor, the allowed PUE is 1.4 and WUE is 1.8, based on best practices in countries such as Singapore. Mohd Jafni said that the Bridge Data Centre, located within the Johor Baru City Council's area, is in the process of using 20 million litres of alternative water per day, with the help of IWK and JSW.
