Google funds USD $160 million water plant in Negeri Sembilan

Google will fund USD $160 million in shared water infrastructure in Negeri Sembilan, tied to its planned data centre campus in Port Dickson.

The project includes an off-river storage reservoir and a water treatment plant, to be built with state authorities and water utility SAINS, with Gamuda as contractor.

Once completed, the facilities will be owned by Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan and are expected to supply 65 million litres of treated water a day. The output is intended to serve both Google's future site at Springhill Industrial Park and broader public demand across the state.

The reservoir, along the Linggi River, is designed to capture excess river flow and rainfall during periods of high yield. The stored raw water will then be channelled to the treatment plant for domestic and commercial use. The reservoir is also intended to reduce flood pressure in nearby flood-prone areas.

During drier periods, the plant will be able to draw on stored reserves rather than rely on direct river flow. Google said this would support a steadier local supply without disrupting the river's natural flow.

The announcement adds detail to Google's digital infrastructure plans in Negeri Sembilan, covering the data centre campus, utility connections and workforce programmes. It will also pay for all electricity used by the campus and the direct infrastructure costs needed to connect it to the grid, subject to local rules.

State officials described the investment as part of a broader effort to attract long-term digital infrastructure spending while ensuring benefits for local communities.

"Google's planned data center campus represents an important milestone in Negeri Sembilan's journey toward becoming a competitive destination for high-value digital infrastructure investment. It demonstrates how private investment and public interests can be aligned from the outset to deliver sustainable, long-term benefits for the state and its people. We value Google's responsible and forward-looking approach, from the strategic selection of its development site to its commitments toward water infrastructure, power infrastructure upgrades, and the creation of new skilling and employment opportunities. These efforts demonstrate the importance of investors working in partnership with the State Government to address infrastructure requirements while delivering tangible benefits to the local community. For Negeri Sembilan, attracting investment is not simply about the size of the capital committed, but also about the quality of investment, its long-term economic contribution, and its ability to create value for our people. Google's presence also strengthens Negeri Sembilan's position as an emerging destination for the digital economy, with the potential to attract complementary investments, expand business opportunities for local companies, and support the development of a more skilled workforce. We see this as an opportunity to build a broader digital ecosystem that contributes to the state's long-term competitiveness," said Dato' Haji Najmuddin Sharif bin Sarimon, Chief Executive Officer, Invest Negeri Sembilan.

Water and power

Google linked the water scheme to its broader environmental and infrastructure agenda in Malaysia. It said the Negeri Sembilan funding reflected its global target to replenish 120% of the freshwater volume it consumes, even though its own assessment found local water sources were not at high risk of scarcity or depletion.

"Google's decision to fund shared water infrastructure in Negeri Sembilan reflects our global ambition to replenish 120% of the freshwater volume we consume, even as our water risk assessment showed that local water sources were not at high risk of scarcity or depletion. This underscores our responsibility to grow our presence sustainably-pairing advanced digital infrastructure development with water replenishment projects, power infrastructure enhancements, and programs designed to upskill local talent for new career opportunities. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the State Government and local partners from construction through to long-term operations to deliver lasting value for the local workforce and community," said Drew Byrnes, Director and Head of Global Infrastructure and Energy, Asia Pacific, Google.

Alongside the water investment, Google said it has been working with consortiums led by Shizen Energy-Solarvest and TotalEnergies to add new clean power to Malaysia's national grid through power purchase agreements. Developers use these agreements to secure financing for new generation projects, including utility-scale solar farms.

Skills push

Google is also expanding its work with SOLS Foundation on clean energy education and workforce training for young people. One initiative will place a Solar and Energy Lab in participating public schools, with each lab including a 2.56-kilowatt-peak solar array and 5.4 kilowatt-hours of battery storage.

Teachers will be trained to use the labs in lessons and co-curricular activities, with the aim of introducing younger pupils to solar technology and showing older students pathways into clean energy jobs. The systems are also expected to cut school electricity bills and provide backup power during outages.

A second programme will create a 36-hour training track within the SOLS Solar Academy for young people from lower-income backgrounds and Indigenous communities. The course is intended to support entry into trades such as solar photovoltaic installation, electric vehicle charging station maintenance and energy system operations, with job placement after graduation.

Google said the additional training would focus on digital tools increasingly used in clean energy work, including solar system sizing, load calculations, inverter and grid monitoring, and field reporting. It described the move as part of a longer-term effort to build a labour pipeline for Malaysia's energy transition as digital infrastructure expands.

Local utility SAINS said the new treatment and storage assets would strengthen the state's supply system for residents and businesses.

"As Negeri Sembilan's water utility provider, our priority is to safeguard the long-term dependability and quality of the state's public water supply. Google's proactive funding for new state-of-the-art water harvesting and treatment facilities serves as an exemplary model for public-private collaboration. The resulting 65 million liters of daily potable water capacity will strengthen the local supply system for residents and commercial users alike, ensuring Negeri Sembilan's water resources grow in tandem with the digital economy," said Dato' Ir. Haji Mohd Yazid bin Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer, Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan.