[Unofficial Translation]
I am so glad that I am returning today to the southern part of Phnom Penh once again. On Monday, I went to further south to put into official use the 60-meters width road that connects the capital of Phnom Penh to Kandal province.
Yesterday I was at the northern part of Phnom Penh to inaugurate phase I sports complex and launch the groundbreaking for the construction of the main stadium section, at a total cost of about 200 million USD. Today, I am here on this southeastern part of Phnom Penh to put into official use the Nirodh Water Treatment Plant Phase II co-funded by counterpart fund of the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority and loans from l’Agence Française de Développement (AFD) or French Development Agency.
Tomorrow, I will get back to the northern part of the capital again to put into official use the National Road 6 (formerly 6A). We have had so many things to do before end of the year of Monkey and in welcoming the year of Rooster. I am so happy to see the various achievements that we have scored here. The Minister of Industry and Handicraft, HE Cham Prasidh, already mentioned in his report about history relating to water supply in the capital of Phnom Penh […]
Cambodia-France-Japan Cooperation to Supply Water
On 4 June 2013, I came here to put into operation the phase-I water treatment plant project funded by the Water Supply Authority, the French AFD and Japanese JICA. Today, we are putting the phase-ii of the project into official operation that has a bigger capacity to supply water to our enlarging capital. The quality of water it supplies is far better than that we did in 1980s, because people can drink from tap right away. However, for reason of healthcare, we should boil it.
The Water Supply Authority is an autonomous institution that supplies water to Phnom Penh and to certain area of Takhmao and Kandal province. As HE Cham Prasidh already said in relation to supply of water, it is a need not only for people in the city but everywhere. We have a master plan to go about supplying clean water for our people. I would take this opportune moment to express my sincere appreciation and thank for AFD to provide credit in contribution to development of the phase-ii drinking water project and I hope France will continue to help Cambodia in any way it can […]
Two Recommendations
I would take this chance to give two recommendations to the Ministry of Industry and Handicraft, and the Water Supply Authority:
Firstly, now that some communes in the province of Kandal is now a part of Phnom Penh, I recommend the water supply authority to buy private water supply infrastructure and continue to supply water to our people. In the southern part of Phnom Penh, Oknha Kok An is doing this work. We must guarantee that people in Phnom Penh, in every commune or Sangkat, have access to same price water supply […]
Secondly, as the price of electricity has gone down, the water supply authority and the Electricity of Cambodia should discuss about how to go about re-pricing water. The Ministry of Mines and Energy already sets objectives for use of electricity – how much would it cost during the day and at night, for instance, for industrial production. As it costs cheaper during the night, I would urge Industry and Energy Ministries to discuss with the Water Supply Authority and Electricity of Cambodia to find out way to bring the price of water down for our people […]
Running Water to Other Places
On another front, we need to run the water to places where it is now inaccessible. Just now, a young lad requested to me to run water through to Prek Thmey. Well, we would do so because this is not the time that we supply water by pulled carts or shouldering. Please continue to make effort to expand our water supply line to places where clean water is not accessible yet – both in areas where housing construction are as well as where people reside but have not had access to clean water yet […] The Khmer New Year is approaching and we will rejoice together in peace and development […]./.
