Insufficient municipal drainage networkin Cambodia

Tongji University recently issued a survey report on Cambodian wastewater treatment technology demands, listed the needs for sewage treatment technology in Cambodia and discussed possible cooperation on wastewater treatment technology between Cambodia and China.

Phnom Penh, located on the banks of the Tonlé Sap and Mekong River, is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. It is the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security, politics, cultural heritage, and diplomacy. Cambodia has a stable domestic politics and social economy, with an annual GDP growth rate of above 7%. However, as the economic activity and annual GDP of Phnom Penh continue to grow, so too has its sewage problem. The municipal infrastructure in Cambodia, even in its capital, has lagged behind its social development.

Insufficient municipal drainage network

Phnom Penh does not have an adequate municipal drainage network system to cover the entire city. The existing drainage facilities were mainly introduced and built by the French and were part of French colonial legacy. Most of them have fallen into disrepair, and the drains are either blocked or interrupted. Water logging occurs frequently during the rainy season. In addition, sewage is mainly discharged directly into nearby rivers contributing to water pollution and public health risks.

Wastewater discharged into a river

An adequate and systematic municipal network is necessary for the collection of sewage as a prerequisite for the operation of a sewage treatment plant. Otherwise an inadequate operating load may lead to the plant being "idle" and therefore a waste of infrastructure investment.