Google Commits $160 Million for Water Treatment and Reservoir Serving Port Dickson Data Center in Malaysia

Google has unveiled a US$160 million commitment to build shared water infrastructure in Malaysia's Negeri Sembilan, a package that pairs an off-river storage reservoir along the Linggi River with a water treatment plant capable of supplying 65 million liters of potable water each day.

Reservoir on the Linggi River to Feed New Treatment Plant

The announcement, made on November 1, 2026, together with the State Government of Negeri Sembilan and Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan Sdn Bhd (SAINS), ties the new facilities to both community supply and the water demands of a planned data center campus in the state. Gamuda Berhad has been appointed to construct the facilities.

Under the arrangement, ownership of the completed infrastructure will pass from Google to Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan (Incorporated), known as MBINS, the statutory body that manages state assets on behalf of the State Government.

How the Water System Will Operate

The reservoir's design is centered on capturing excess river flow and rainfall, especially during high-yield seasons, in order to reduce flood risk in flood-prone areas nearby. Raw water held in the reservoir is channeled through the treatment plant, where it is purified for domestic and commercial use.

When river yields fall, the plant can switch to drawing on the reservoir's reserves, allowing the system to keep supplying water to the community without interrupting the Linggi River's natural flow. Of the plant's 65 million liters of daily potable water capacity, part will serve Google's upcoming data center campus at Springhill Industrial Park in Port Dickson, with the remainder expanding the water supply available for public use across the state.

The Data Center Campus Behind the Investment

The water infrastructure forms part of a wider Google footprint in Negeri Sembilan that also includes the planned data center campus itself, along with education and workforce development programs. According to the company, the Port Dickson campus is custom-designed from the ground up to be among the most energy-efficient data centers in the world.

Once operational, its computing capabilities will underpin Google services such as Search, Maps, and Chrome, which are used daily by millions of individuals and organizations across Malaysia. Google stated that it will cover 100 percent of the power consumed by the campus as well as the direct infrastructure costs needed to connect it to the grid, while complying with all applicable local regulations. The company's financial commitment extends across the construction phase and the multi-decade operational life of the facility.

Clean Energy Commitments and Training Programs

In parallel with the water announcement, Google is broadening its partnership with the SOLS Foundation to launch clean energy education and workforce development initiatives aimed at preparing local youth for long-term careers in Malaysia's clean energy sector. Google also outlined the structure of its clean energy activity in the country, which runs through Power Purchase Agreements with consortiums led by Shizen Energy-Solarvest and TotalEnergies. According to the company, these agreements give developers the bankability and upfront guarantee of future revenue required to obtain financing for new generation facilities, including utility-scale solar farms, and to grow their local workforce for building and operating such sites. The PPAs are intended to add net-new clean power to Malaysia's National Grid.

Google Frames Funding Around Water Replenishment Goal

Drew Byrnes, Director and Head of Global Infrastructure and Energy, Asia Pacific at Google, said the choice to fund shared water infrastructure reflects the company's global ambition to replenish 120 percent of the freshwater volume it consumes.

He explained that Google's water risk assessment had found the local water sources were not at high risk of scarcity or depletion, which he said underscored the company's responsibility to expand its presence sustainably by combining digital infrastructure development with water replenishment projects, enhancements to power infrastructure, and programs that upskill local talent. Byrnes added that Google looks forward to working closely with the State Government and local partners from construction through to long-term operations.

State Officials Point to Investment Quality Over Scale

Dato' Haji Najmuddin Sharif bin Sarimon, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Negeri Sembilan, characterized the planned data center campus as an important milestone in the state's effort to establish itself as a competitive destination for high-value digital infrastructure investment. In his view, the project shows how private investment and public interests can be aligned from the beginning to deliver sustainable, long-term benefits for the state and its people.

He welcomed Google's approach, citing the strategic selection of the development site as well as the company's commitments on water and power infrastructure and skilling opportunities. Najmuddin went further on what the state looks for in investors, saying that attracting capital is not simply a matter of the amount committed, but of the quality of the investment, its long-term economic contribution, and its capacity to create value for the people of Negeri Sembilan.

He said Google's presence reinforces the state's position as an emerging digital economy destination, with the potential to draw complementary investments, broaden business opportunities for local companies, and support the development of a more skilled workforce. Those elements, he argued, contribute to a broader digital ecosystem that strengthens the state's long-term competitiveness.

Ownership Transfer Cements Public Stewardship

The transfer of the reservoir and treatment plant to MBINS once construction is complete places the assets under the stewardship of the statutory body responsible for state asset management, embedding the infrastructure within Negeri Sembilan's public water system even though the initial funding comes entirely from Google. The arrangement links the facilities' dual purpose, supporting the data center campus at Springhill Industrial Park while expanding potable water supply for public use, to the state's long-term control of the assets.

The announcement brings together several strands of Google's activity in the state: the USD 160 million shared water infrastructure commitment, the planned Port Dickson campus, the clean energy power purchase agreements with Shizen Energy-Solarvest and TotalEnergies, and the newly expanded SOLS Foundation collaboration on clean energy education and workforce training. Each element was presented by the company and its state partners as part of a coordinated approach to digital and water infrastructure development in Negeri Sembilan.