Environment ministry officials take water samples for testing near a large factory. Environment ministry
At least seven of the more than 100 factories in Cambodia have been illegally discharging contaminated wastewater into natural clean water sources. One of the companies has been discharging polluted water for the past three years.
Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth shared the news on March 11, following the second meeting of an inter-ministerial committee on coordinating the implementation of the project concerning “Strengthening Capacities in Water Pollution Management”.
“There are over 100 large factories which have the potential to discharge pollutants. If they do not manage their waste properly, the water they discharge causes environmental pollution, sometimes contaminating our clean water sources. However, it is important to remember that not all companies are bad — there are many good companies that invest with care and respect for the environment,” he said.
However, he also pointed out that to date, the environment ministry has identified seven companies that have discharged polluted water into clean water sources. The companies have already been subjected to legal action. One of the companies, in Preah Sihanouk province, has had its case sent to court.
Three other companies have acknowledged their mistakes, apologised, made corrections and paid fines as per the law and environmental regulations, which impose severe penalties on companies or individuals who pollute water sources, he continued.
“Currently, the ministry is dealing with four companies that are still in violation and have not yet complied. One of the companies is involved in an ongoing dispute over its actions, claiming it did not discharge pollutants, although the local community has provided testimony that the company indeed discharged contaminated water into a local stream, which damaged the entire water source,” he said.
In this case, the ministry took water samples and interviewed local residents living near the stream. The residents testified that the company had indeed discharged foul-smelling wastewater into the stream, which severely polluted the water.
The second inter-ministerial meeting was attended by representatives from several ministries, national and sub-national institutions and development partners.
The meeting was supported by Japan, which is managing the “Strengthening Capacity in Water Pollution Management” through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which provides both financial and technical support.
The project was approved for a four-year period (2023-2026) and Prek Tnoat was selected as the initial project implementation area.
The project aims to enhance the accuracy and reliability of water quality analysis carried out by laboratories, strengthen technical improvements that began in phase one of the project, and create a water quality monitoring system and wastewater management system in the targeted area.
JICA senior representative Miura Yoshiko explained that the project began in July 2023 and has a planned finish date of July 2026.
The project focuses on creating systems for monitoring and managing surface water and wastewater based on regulations concerning water pollution management.
In the past year, the project has made notable progress in developing laboratory capacity for water quality monitoring and wastewater management.
Sophalleth noted that the second meeting was crucial, as it focuses on strengthening the capabilities of government officials, especially at the environment ministry.
He also emphasised that measures to address water pollution are not too late, and now is the right time for Cambodia to address the issue.
