Groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction on a new waste treatment plant in Kamboul district of the capital on May 24. FACEBOOK
The amount of toilet waste produced in Phnom Penh in 2001 was about 26,000 cubic metres, a figure which is estimated to grow to 330,000 in 2035, according to a study cited by municipal governor Khuong Sreng.
This increase – of nearly 13 times – meant the municipal administration must construct new treatment plants, Sreng said, adding that new plants will be built according to modern standards to minimise environmental impact.
Sreng made the remarks during the May 24 groundbreaking ceremony for construction of a new sewage treatment plant located in Kamboul district’s Phleung Chhesh Roteh commune.
According to the governor, Phnom Penh has developed exponentially since 2001. The administrative boundary has expanded from 300 to 692.46sq km, and about three million people live and work in the capital.
Sreng said it was important to improve public hygiene in response to population and economic growth, urban expansion and an increase in living standards.
He added that aside from serving the more civilised living needs of the people, the new plant would provide three main environmental, social and economic benefits.
“First, the proper management of sewage is of crucial environmental importance. The second benefit is social, via job creation and because the processing of toilet waste into organic fertiliser reduces the use of chemicals. From an economic perspective, the sale of the organic fertilisers to the agricultural market – and their use – is an obvious boon,” he said.
Sreng said Prime Minister Hun Sen’s suggestion for the direction of Phnom Penh’s physical infrastructure development is to pay attention to three major forms of congestion: Traffic, drainage and waste. These are important because they support the hub of the national economy, which is growing. As the population increases and resources become more abundant, the provision of services to the population will inevitably increase, he said.
Sreng added that in the past, Cambodia did not need this type of treatment plant as its people had a poor standard of living and little resources, including food. In recent years, people’s lives have improved and there are enough resources, so the standard of living the city provides must reflect this.
Phnom Penh deputy governor Nuon Pharath offered technical details through a May 24 social media post.
“The new waste treatment plant will be the first in Phnom Penh capable of treating 70 cubic metres per day, which is the equivalent of 25,550 cubic metres annually. Construction has officially begun, under the presidency of the governor of Phnom Penh and the permanent secretary-general of the International Association of French Mayors,” he wrote.
Pierre Beyer, permanent secretary-general of the mayoral association, said the project was part of a policy aimed at improving the lives of the people in the municipality through welfare and climate change response.
“The waste will be turned in to fertiliser for those people who farm to use, and will provide jobs for small businesses,” he said.
