PHNOM PENH, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Wednesday inaugurated the Kampong Cham Water Supply System in southeastern Kampong Cham province, expanding clean water access to an additional 8,875 families, said a joint press release.
The Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI), together with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and French Development Agency (AFD), launched the project, which increased service coverage in the area from approximately 49 percent in 2018 to around 76 percent in 2025.
The 12.98 million U.S. dollars project has more than doubled access to the Kampong Cham water utility network, increasing the number of people served from 44,955 to 89,030 and expanding household connections from 10,464 to 19,339, including 414 poor families that received subsidized water connection fees.
The system includes a raw water intake and pumping station, a new water treatment plant, and expanded transmission and distribution pipeline networks.
The project contributes an additional 11,600 cubic meters of treated water per day, increasing the total production capacity of the Kampong Cham water utility to approximately 28,100 cubic meters per day.
"Access to clean and safe water is fundamental to public health, economic productivity, and quality of life," Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation Hem Vanndy said.
"As Cambodia continues to urbanize and industrialize, reliable water supply infrastructure will remain essential to building resilient, competitive, and livable cities under the Government's Pentagonal Strategy," he added.
The Kampong Cham system follows the inauguration of the Battambang Water Supply System last month and forms part of Cambodia's broader efforts to modernize water infrastructure in key provincial growth centers.
"Reliable access to safe water is one of the most impactful investments we can make in people's health and productivity," Yasmin Siddiqi, ADB country director for Cambodia, said.
"The inauguration of the Kampong Cham system marks a further expansion of services, extending the benefits of safe, reliable water to more communities. Together, these investments demonstrate how strong partnerships are scaling up access across Cambodia and supporting more inclusive and resilient urban growth," she added.
The Kampong Cham Water Supply System is part of the Provincial Water Supply and Sanitation Project, approved in 2017 and jointly financed by the government of Cambodia, ADB, AFD and the European Union. ■
