The Kampong Thom Provincial Administration is set to launch a new clean water production plant in April. The plant – located in Stung Sen town’s Prey Tahou commune and built with the assistance of a grant from the Japanese government – will have the capacity to serve about 60,000 local people.

While leading a working group to inspect the progress of the construction on March 16, provincial governor Nguon Ratanak said the project has the capacity to supply 100 per cent of the clean water to the people in the town and expand distribution to Kampong Svay district.

He added that the project would contribute to an improvement in the water sector in Cambodia and could guarantee its sustainability and the provision of quality water without odours, sediments or toxins. This would be a boon to public health, he said.

Provincial administration spokesman Yov Sengkun said the construction is now 100 per cent complete and the plant will be inaugurated on April 11. It can produce 7,500 cubic metre of clean water a day and has a distribution network of more than 150km.

The new facility serves eight communes in the town and two communes in Kampong Svay district, benefiting about 60,000 people in 42 villages.

“Until now, the Water Supply Authority supplied only seven communes, whereas this Japanese project will help supply eight communes in the town and add two more communes in [Kampong Svay] district. Previously, we supplied clean water to just 22 villages,” he said.

The water treatment plant is equipped with the latest technology to improve the quality of water.

The Japanese government has provided more than $28 million in grants to the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation for the expansion of Kampong Thom’s water supply. Construction began in January 2020 and was completed in March of this year.