Progress of Water Environment
Governance in Cambodia
By Mr. Phin Rady , Director of Water Quality
Management Department, EPA, MoE

The 14th WEPA Annual Meeting
22 February 2019
Tokyo1

Facts and statistics of water quality

Water quality monitoring station2

60.0050.00កំពង់ចាមវែតកដីតាកុយ
2.95

2.50

1.05

1.07

1.13

1.01

7.16

7.19

10.00

7.10

20.00

7.32

30.00

3.23

ស្ទឹងត្រែង
ជ្រោយចង្វារ

40.00

2.57

56.34

70.00

53.46

73.24

80.00

75.42

River Water Quality

0.00
pH​ (6.5-8.5)

TSS​ (25-100mg/l)

BOD (1-10mg/l)

COD (<8mg/l)

 Parameter : pH, TSS, BOD, COD, TN, TP Commonly, the values of pH, TSS, BOD, and COD
are ranged in the standard, except few locations ofwhich the values of TP and TN were identified toslightly exceeded the standard.
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Facts and statistics of domestic
wastewater management• Domestic wastewater commonly are collected andtreated via septic tanks prior to run to public sewage
system and to series retention pounds afterward due topassing the natural treatment/purification process, andfinally run to receiving sources.
• However, some main provinces have the central
domestic wastewater treatment plant DWTP), e.g.
Sihanoukville province, Siem Reap province,
Battambang province, and some are planned toconstruct DWTP. So far, DWTP type, volume andtreatment capacity in Phnom Penh municipality isunder feasibility study separately.
4Facts and statistics of Industrial
wastewater management
Statistic of factories in Cambodia
N0Type of Factories

Number1

Garment

407

2Garment and Washing69

3Bag and Shoes

67

4Printing

43

5Jean washing

23

6

Animal food107

Electricial Material

98

Cigarette

89

Beverage

6

10Medicine

511

Other497

Total1, 144 To assess effluents discharging fromindustrial sector, the Ministry ofEnvironment uses standards which
are annexes of the Sub-decree on
Water Pollution Control.
 99 Factories were control byInspection team.
 10 Factories discharged wastewater
excess effluent standards:• 7 Factories were fine and• 3 factories were ordered tocorrect mistakes.

Sources: Department of Law enforcement and Inspection (2018)5

Legislative framework for water
environmental governance Laws on Environmental Protection and Natural
Resources Management (1996)
 Laws on Water Resources Management(2007)
 Sub-decree on Water Pollution control (Apri6,1999)
 Sub-decree on Solid Waste Management(April 27,1999)
 Sub-decree on Environmental Impact Assessment(August 11, 1999)
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Legislative framework for water
environmental governance Sub-decree on the Management of Sewage andWastewater Treatment System(25 Dec. 2017)• Delegate the function of management of sewage system andwastewater treatment system to the sub-national
administration to abide by the Government’s policy ofpromoting decentralization and de-concentration
programme, which aims to ensure public health safety andbiological diversity conservation• Delivers full roles and responsibilities toward sewage andwastewater treatment system’s management to sub-national
authority, while the central office (MoE, Ministry of Public
Works and Transport, Ministry of Interior) plays role to set
policy, guideline, standard, etc., as well as control the process
and results of implementation at sub-national level7

Legislative framework for water
environmental governance Draft of Environmental and Natural Resource Code:Currently, MoE in cooperation with inter-ministries,
line agencies, lawyer, developed partners,
international organization and NGOs, is finalizing
the draft of Environmental and Natural Resources
Code, where water quality management including
environmental standard, effluent standard, riverwater quality standard becomes a part of it.

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Legislative framework for water
environmental governance Draft of Sub-decree on self monitoring and reportHigh potential pollution sources have to :• Install real-time online monitoring equipment at end pipe
• Regularly reporting to entity competent institution, MoE

 Sub-decree on Water Pollution Control is in theamendment process ( JICA Project for Effective
Implementation of EIA and Pollution Control through
Capacity Development)• Guideline on Wastewater Treatment and facilities• Guideline on Inspection Manual• Guideline on Groundwater Protection• Guideline on Laboratory Registration

9Institutional framework for water
environmental governance Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, basedon the Law on Water Resources Management, arepaying more attention on monitoring watercourses(in terms of quantity and quality) in Cambodia.
 Cambodia National Mekong Committee (CNMC) is agovernmental institution operating under the directsupervision of the Council Minister. Its main mission isthe coordination in management, protection,conservation and development of water and otherrelated resources in the Mekong River Basin.
 Ministry of Environment, in complying theEnvironmental Law and Sub-decree are paying

more attention on monitoring environmental quality(in terms of water, soil and air) in Cambodia.
10Water quality monitoring framework Officer of MoRAM base on Water Quality Monitoring

Network (MRC Program) collect water samplings monthly atprimary and secondary stations in parallel with the Water
Quality Monitoring Network (the MRC supportingprogramme), and done at the MoWRM’s LAB.
 Officer of MoE, in complying the Environmental Law and related
Sub-Decrees, conducts:• Monthly monitoring and analyzing water quality at theMoE’s LAB (those water samples are taken from MekongRiver, Bassac River, Tonle Sap River, Tonle Sap Great Lake,
their tributaries, and marine water), in order to identify
the implication of pollution and water environment.
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Enforcement instruments for water
environment management• Department of Law Enforcement and Inspection
in operating under the direct supervision of theDirectorate of Environmental Protection, MoE.
• Its main mission is the coordination among
technical department under EPA and leading inmonitoring, inspection all kind of environmental
pollution sources in Cambodia .

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Future targets/plans, issues and challenges
of water environment governance Cooperation with country in the region, Water
Quality Monitoring Station will be installed in someprovinces.
 Draft on National Environmental Strategic Plan
(2018-2023) should be approved by MP.
• Central Sewage Treatment Plants will construct atPhnom Peng and Some City.

 Draft on Environmental and Natural Resource Code,should be approved by National Parliament.

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Future targets/plans, issues and challenges
of water environment governance Environmental violation still happen, especiallydischarging wastewater from factories without
treatment or treating not comply to effluent
standard Lack of budget, technical equipment, and humanresources (both quantity and quality) Suggest WEPA to conduct training course on TOT,
which parallel to the Government’s policy of
promoting decentralization and de-concentration
programme.
14Thank you for you
kind attention

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