KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA
NATION--RELIGIONNATIONRELIGION--KING

4th WEPA International Workshop, 18-19 February 2013
Siem Reap, Cambodia

Domestic Wastewater Management
System in Cambodia

Dr. CHRIN Sokha
Deputy Director General, Ministry of Environment

1.0 Introduction
Approximately 5/6
Cambodian territory island and 1/6 iscoastal.
 Phnom Penh is theCapital.
 86% of Cambodia’sland is located in thecatchment of theLower Mekong Basin.
 Mekong River – theworld’s 12th longest
river system. It lengths
across Cambodia for468 km.
Tonle Sap Great Lake is expanded from 2,500 km2
in dry season to 13,000 km2 in the wet season.
11.0 Introduction (cont.)
P l ti Growth,Population
G th 1993 - 2012

Year2012
2008
1998
199305

10Population (millions) Cambodia population isiincreasedd ffrom year after
ftyear.
 It accounted around 13.4
million in 2008, and wasprojected to 14.7million in2012 (NIS).
(NIS)
15
Average growth rate
was varied from 1.54 in2008 to 1.52 in 2012.

1.0 Introduction (cont.) Toilet facility connectedPercent

sewage system in
Cambodia increasedslightly.

Toilet facilities

807060504030200
100Phnom Penh
Urban areas 
Rural areas

Connect
to sewagesystem

Septictank- 2004: 8%- 2009: 9.4%

Toilet facility connected
septic tank in urban areai
increased
d 41
41.9%
9% iin2004, and 58.2% in 200

Open land(Ref. to Cambodia statisticalYearbook, 2011- NIS)

2

1.0 Introduction (cont.)
 Sewage system

plays a commonrole to collect
together domestic
wastewater,
rainwater including
treated industrial
effluents prior to
run-off to wetlands
and/or receiving
sources.

1.0 Introduction (cont.) Domestic wastewater andurban sewage are commonly
collected by seweragesystem and run off todrainage and retention
pond/lake or wetland
afterward for self purification(through natural treatmentprocess) and finally runs offprocess),to the main watercourse.

3

1.0 Introduction (cont.) The Royal Government of Cambodia openly

provides any participation and/or contribution
from local authority,
authority communities,
communities especiallyinvestors to improve the management ofsmall-scale sewage and sanitation.
The Phnom Penh Authority particularly, indeveloping infrastructures, promotes and appliesth 50-50
the50 50 Principle
P i i l bbased.
d 50% of the total project cost will be paid by thePhnom Penh Municipal Authority, and the remaining
50% will be contributed by local communities.

2. Policy and Legal Framework
 The Goal No. 7 of CMDGs: “Ensure environmental

sustainability sets targets before the end 2015:
sustainability”
Mainstreaming of good governance into themanagement of the environment and naturalresources,
80% of the urban population and 50% of therurall populationl ti shouldh ld hhave access tto safe
fwater, and74% of the urban population and 30% of therural population should have access to improved
sanitation.

42. Policy and Legal Framework (cont.) Rectangular Strategy – Phase II, Rectangle

II, Side 2 (Water Resources and Irrigation
System Management),
Priority to the rehabilitation, construction,

maintenance of irrigation system and related
infrastructures.
Rights of access of people to clean watersupply to ensure food safety and better
livelihoods in accordance with CMDGs, andpreserve the ecosystem of unpolluted waterand clean environment.

2. Policy and Legal Framework (cont.) Toward the environment and natural resourcesmanagement and protection, NSDP Update 2009 –2013 addresses the priority of:Ensuringg sustainable use of natural resources,, andecology system and water environment will not be
polluted, through implementing measures of EIA to allexisting and proposed development projects, including
environmental pollution control.
Developing legislations of environmental quality
management EIA,management,EIA chemical substance management,management
including the review and amendment of Law on
Environmental Protection and Natural Resources
Management.
To promote the implementation of 3R in order to reduce
waste and to recycle for reuse export.

52. Policy and Legal Framework (cont.)

Laws on Water
Resources
Management

Nat’l Policy on
Water
Resources
StrategicPlans andplans inrelation towater
resources
Mang. & Dev.

Laws
a soon Env.
Protection andNatural Resources
Management

Prakas on the Management ofWastewater Treatment System

Water Environment
Management

Regional Agreement
and Related Guideline

Sub-decree on
Water Pollution
Sub-decree on
S lid W
Solid
WastetManagement
Sub-decree on
EIA Process
OthersStrategic Plans inrelation to the Env.

Other Existing Policyand Strategies(Line Institutions)

2. Policy and Legal Framework (cont.)
 Several legislations in relation to the environmentare being drafted, e.g. Environmental quality
management law; EIA law; Chemical managementlaw.
 Existing policies and legal frameworks – all arematched to the Rio+20’s outcomes in relation towater sector, these include:- Access to water and sanitation- IWRM- Water cooperation- Water in the green economy

6

3. Domestic Wastewater Managementin Cambodia
 Cities and provinces of Cambodia, commonly, haveneither had a central wastewater treatment plant,
nor enough treatment system.
 Except three main provinces, namely,
Battambang, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville,
have the central domestic wastewater treatment
plant and these are being operated
plant,operated.
 A central domestic wastewater treatment plant,
however, is being taken into consideration insome provinces and cities (being studied and/orconstructed).

3. Domestic Wastewater Managementin Cambodia (cont.) Purposes of constructing and operating

sewerage system aim to:- Improvement of public health/sanitation- Improvement of living environment- Conservation of water environment- Efficient use of treated wastewater, sludge, etc.
- Construction of desirable water recycling
environment- Flooding measures73. Domestic Wastewater Management inCambodia (cont.)
 Wastewater treatment process is basedstabilizationt bili ti pondd system:tanaerobicbipond, facultative pond and maturationpond.
 It is designed for:- BOD removal rate – 95%- Coliform removal rate – 99%- Temperature – 24◦C8

Siem Reap Waste Stabilization Pond System

Sihanoukville Waste Stabilization Pond System

93. Domestic Wastewater Managementin Cambodia (cont.) Flow and treated domestic wastewater

quality
lit are regularly
l l measured
d tto abidebidby the national water quality standard in
public water areas for bio-diversity
conservation, prior to discharge into
receiving sources.
 The analysis parameters are: BOD,COD, SS, DO, pH, TN, TP andtemperature.

3. Domestic Wastewater Management in
Cambodia (cont.) In Cambodia, the management of domestic

wastewater commonly so-called the cross sectoralissue (MLMUPC, MPWT, MoE, MoWRAM).
 MLMUPC is engaged a technical permission
towards construction including septic tank andsewage pipe.
 MPWT has a mandate to construct, operate andmaintenance the sewerage and drainage
system.
 To abide by the existing environmental
legislations, MoE officers conduct routine
monitoring water quality (monthly) at public
water areas and do a self-analysis – those arebeing received treated wastewater (e.g. by
natural treatment process) in order to avoiding
any serious impacts to water environment.

10

3. Domestic Wastewater Management inCambodia (cont.) Officers of MoWRAM, based on the Lawon Water Resources Management
Management, andthe Water Quality Monitoring Network(MRC Program) conduct watercoursemonitoring (in terms of quantity andquality) in Cambodia.
Water samplings are taken monthly at
primary and secondary stations andanalyzed at MoWRM’s LAB.

4. Gaps and Opportunities in
Domestic Wastewater Management
Gaps

Strength and Opportunities

 Most sewerage and Environmental law andg system
ywere
drainage
related Sub-decrees canconstructed in French
be used (e.g. Subcolonial (wreckage,decree on Water
block, disconnected,
Pollution Control; Subetc.).
decree on EIA Process).
Some urban areas do Several legislations in
not have enoughrelation to water
sewerage system.
environment
There is not a sewerage management including
and drainage sector
the Prakas on themaster plan for themanagement of
towns or country,
wastewater treatment
including a particularsystem
legal tools (policy/strategy)11

4. Gaps and Opportunities in Domestic
Wastewater Management (cont.)
Gaps
Opportunities
Inadequacy of human DomesticDti wastewatertt
and financial
treatment isresources for O&M
recognized to be
and management ofnecessary andsewerage system.
supported by relevant- Collecting fee
government(wastewater
institutions including
institutions,
treatment service)
local authorities
is imbalance to theexpenditure of O&M (Government priority)and management thetreatment plant.

4. Gaps and Opportunities in Domestic
Wastewater Management (cont.)
Gapsp
Limit participationfrom stakeholders,
especiallycommunities (lessinterest) in the soundmanagement ofdomestic wastewater
due to some reasons.

Opportunitiespp
A proper domestic
wastewater
management is one ofindicator for the clean
city contest (2012 –2015)2015).

12

5. Conclusion
 Developing master plan and constructing

sewerage and drainage system for urban
area and towns throughout the country isprioritized responding to the Goal No
No. 7 ofCMDG and Rectangular Strategy - Phase II.
 Encouraging and promoting the Public
Private Partnership, meanwhile thenational budget is limited.
 Financiala c a mechanism/mobilizationec a s / ob a o forooperating, maintaining and managing
domestic wastewater treatment system,
including capacity building andinstitutional strengthening – these should
be high priority.

5. Conclusion (cont.)
 Developing a particular legislation

including policy and strategy fordomestic and industrial wastewater
management and its implementation –it’s a priority plan.
 Technical cooperation, experienceexchange and networking with othercountries in the region/globe should beimproved.

Thank you so much…

13