Chinese firm plan new Kampong Speu wastewater treatment plant

A Chinese company intends to invest in a wastewater treatment plant for Kampong Speu province, which currently lacks such facilities, said Vei Samnang, Kampong Speu provincial governor on November 29.

Following his recent visit to Beijing, he witnessed a demonstration by Beijing Urban Construction Group Co., Ltd. (BUCG) showcasing the functionality of a wastewater treatment plant capable of filtering approximately 600,000 cubic metres of wastewater into clean water. The company plans to invest in the construction of a similar facility in Kampong Speu province.

While Samnang is uncertain about specific details, including the project’s timeline, wastewater treatment capacity and the exact investment amount, he said that the company is committed to investing in this infrastructure initiative for the province.

The initiation of the project would mark the inaugural establishment of a water treatment facility in the province. Presently, numerous factories within the province lack such provisions within their premises.

“If a filter tank is in place, the wastewater from various factories can be effectively collected and filtered. Subsequently, the treated water can be safely discharged into fields, making it suitable for crop irrigation without adversely impacting crops,” he explained.

Samnang also said that, despite some enterprises currently having wastewater containment facilities that release effluent from their premises, these differ from proper wastewater treatment amenities. Factory-based wastewater filter essentially serve as reservoirs to contain waste within the factory, and during heavy rain leading to flooding, stored wastewater can easily overflow, impacting the environment.

Heng Kimhong, head of research and advocacy for the Cambodian Youth Network (CYN), stated the significance of addressing the wastewater issue from factories. He said that authorities must prioritise finding solutions and ensure thorough filtration before discharging into lakes, streams and rivers.

He noted that in the past, in provinces with numerous factories, he observed factories discharging wastewater without filtration or, if filtration existed, it did not meet required standards.

“Local authorities across the board should conduct thorough inspections to identify any factories violating the law by releasing untreated wastewater into rivers or lakes. Immediate action must be taken to rectify such violations,” he said.