Joint teams working on the City-wide Inclusive Sanitation master plan said they had completed several studies in an effort to improve the entire sanitation service chain, including storage, pumping, transport and treatment.

The studies were presented at a May 5 virtual workshop on wastewater and mud management in Phnom Penh.

The studies each focussed on a specific aspect of sanitation: an assessment of the current status of the sanitation system, a survey of homes, a feasibility study of wet areas and the water table, studies of drainage service providers, surveys on the management and use of public toilets, surveys of water utility factories and water quality studies.

The workshop was presided over by Trak Tai Seang, secretary of state at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. Joining him was ADB country representative to Cambodia Anthony Gill and more than 60 other participants.

The workshop also looked at the financial viability of several options, as before investing in a sewage network, it was important to ensure that the proposed solutions were affordable and financially sustainable. Many appropriate technologies were discussed, including central and non-central sewer systems and on-site sanitation. Short, medium and long-term investment needs were identified.

Keat Rainsy, director of the Phnom Penh municipal Department of Environment, told The Post on May 8 that his department had assigned a team of experts to study and assess the implementation of the master plan before the project began.

“What we must do is take into account the impact on the general public and any difficulties the work may cause them. The stakeholders who participated in the evaluation of this project are working to make this plan a success that will bring tangible benefits to Phnom Penh residents,” he said.