Wastewater Treatment inUrban Area
Dr. Chrin Sokha
Deputy Director General
Ministry of Environment, Cambodia

Contents of Presentation
1. Background Information
2. Common Practices of Wastewater Management
3. Gaps and Opportunities
4. Conclusion

1. Background Information
 Population, in Cambodia, isPopulation Growthincreased from year afteryear, and it accounted for
13,388,910 in 2008 (NIS,MoP 2008).

2008
Year2004
19981996)The growth rate was1993
024

6810Population (millions)

12142.55% for urban
population, and 1.30%for rural population.

1. Background Information (cont.) Such population increase might be caused more concerns

towards the discharge of treated and/or untreatedwastewater to receiving sources without complying theenvironmental standards (e.g. households, businesscenters, hotels and so on).
)Respective urban/town area, generally, does not havea center wastewater treatment plant.
)Few wastewater treatment plants is under operation
and/or construction in some provinces and cities, e.g.
Battambang, Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, Kampong
Cham, etc.

1. Background Information (cont.) Urban wastewater, commonly, run off to receiving waters

through sewage/opened canal systems.
 Most wastewaters are discharged into receiving waters
by natural purification process.
)In Phnom Penh Municipality, for example, urban
wastewaters are collected by sewage systems andrun off into opened channels, retention lake/wetland,
and finally, flow directly to the river.
- Retention lake and/or wetland plays importantfunctions to naturally purify (self purification) such
wastewaters in a specific period, and gradually flow tothe river afterward.

Natural treatedwastewater outflow

Prek Kdam

Mekong River
Kampong Chnang

Boeng Pung Peay

Dyke surrounds
the cityTonle SapRiver

Boeng Kak

Phnom Penh Port

Phnom Penh
Boeng Trabek

Natural treatedwastewater outflow

Flow into theTonle Sap River
Jul-Sept

Flow out ofTonle Sap River
Oct-Feb

Boeng Cheng Ek

Bassac River

Stung Chrov
Prek Thnot River
Takhmao

Neak Luong1. Background Information (cont.)
 Industrial wastewaters (factories those usedchemicals/chemical compounds) have to do
onside treatment particularly in the industrial
premise prior to discharge into receiving
sources, to abide by environmental related
legislations.

Relevant legislation/Strategy/ Policy &Action Plan, International Agreement,Conventions and Mekong Agreement

1. Background Information (cont.)
Constitution

Law on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Management
Sub-Decree on Water
Pollution Control

Sub-Decree on Solid
Waste Management

Sub-Decree on
EIA Process

Related Statutes

Water Environment Management
and/or Protection

Environmental
Strategic Plan(2009 -2013)

2. Common Practices of Wastewater
Management
 Monthly freshwater monitoring at designated public water

areas (through sampling points) – it is done by the Ministryof Environment; and Ministry of Water Resources andMeteorology (ref. to their mandate and existing legislations))Water quality at public water areas (rivers) is generally
in a good condition (Ref. to the Annual Environmental
Conference – Feb 2010, MoE).
)Water quality, few areas, is noticeably degraded in dry
season, where such areas have a high dense of
population and related activities, for example, along theMekong River and its main tributaries, including theTonle Sap Great Lake.

2. Common Practices of Wastewater
Management (cont.) Routine control/monitoring at pollution sources (e.g.

industrial, health and business sectors,) andevaluating the environmental pollution level – basedon analytical results of wastewater samples.
 Permitting and licensing to factories those treatedtheir wastewaters abided by the environmental legal
tools, and vice versa, it is strictly to violators whose
committed opposing the stipulations of law andrelated statutes.

2. Common Practices of Wastewater
Management (cont.) The celebration of National Environmental Day on 5thJune for every year, which participated by key
stakeholders, local authorities, students and pupils andthe like.
 Environmental education and dissemination towards
environmental pollution control and management
programmes for officers of the Environmental
Provincial/Municipal Departments and other key
stakeholders, especially, local authorities(Commune/District Council).

3. Gaps and Opportunities
GapsOpportunities

Expertise knowledge of government
officials dealing with wastewater
treatment and management isrequired to improve

Capacity building, R & D is prioritizedin the national development plan andthe environment strategic plan (2009 –2013)

Insufficiency of related data and/or
information – a basic to develop
effective wastewater management
mechanismFew central wastewater treatment
plants, for urban areas, havedeveloped at selected provinces – itis not respond to a certain
requirement as a whole

Relevant legal instruments are enter
into forces, including enforcement
concept
Water pollution control is highlighted in
the environmental strategic plan (2009– 2013)
Collaboration among inter-ministries
and local authorities, communities, inmonitoring and inspection of pollution
sources, contaminated sites

4. Conclusion
 To promote these constraints, Cambodia, especially,

the Ministry of the Environment paid more attention toimprove the capacity building and institutional
strengthening, including the promotion of stakeholders
collaboration.
 It requires technical assistance/supports frominternational organizations and donors whose engage inthe environmental sector.
 Private partnership is another key tool to improve theenvironmental sanitation, e.g. investing on development
and running a center wastewater treatment.

Many thanks for your kind attention…