Phnom penh: The Royal Government of Cambodia has officially launched the Takhmao Water Treatment Plant and the Koh Norea Replacement Intake Station, marking a significant enhancement in the clean-water supply for southern Phnom Penh and Takhmao city. The facilities were inaugurated by H.E. Vongsey Vissoth, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, representing Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei HUN Manet, alongside H.E. Ueno Atsushi, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the Takhmao plant was developed under a Special Purpose Company model and funded through Japanese grant aid. It employs Japan’s advanced technology to deliver high production capacity while requiring less land. The plant can produce 30,000 cubic meters of clean water daily, increasing the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority’s (PPWSA) total capacity to over 1 million cubic meters per day.
Additionally inaugurated is the Koh Norea intake station, a PPWSA-OCIC project, intended to mitigate the impacts of the New Koh Norea Development Project on PPWSA’s Niroth Water Treatment Plant. This US$28 million station can pump 460,000 cubic meters per day to support the current and future expansion of the Niroth Water Treatment Plant, servicing homes, businesses, and development zones, including the Techo International Airport area.
Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth emphasized the facilities’ role in boosting Cambodia’s clean-water supply, advancing the ‘Clean Water for All’ initiative and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. He noted this development enhances PPWSA’s efforts to provide Phnom Penh and Takhmao residents with clean water that meets standards of quality, safety, and sustainability at reasonable prices.
Minister Hem Vanndy highlighted that the national water supply increased by 72 percent, from about 309 million cubic meters in 2018 to around 530 million cubic meters in 2024, with PPWSA accounting for about 59 percent of this growth in 2024. Access to clean water networks under MISTI’s jurisdiction rose significantly, from 781,908 households in 2018 to 2,982,831 households in 2024.
PPWSA has strengthened production capacity, surpassing 1 million cubic meters per day since late 2024, and extended its distribution network to more than 5,000 kilometers. The Takhmao plant alone will serve about 23,000 connections, including households, businesses, and industrial zones.
Japanese Ambassador H.E. Ueno Atsushi remarked that the project symbolizes the enduring friendship between the two nations. He noted Japan’s support for Cambodia’s water sector since the 1990s has facilitated the ‘Miracle of Phnom Penh’ in water supply services, which will now extend to other cities and provinces.
The construction of the Takhmao Water Treatment Plant occurred from March 2022 to July 2025, undertaken by the KKKCT Consortium under PPWSA’s supervision. It received a 3,421 million Japanese yen (approximately US$ 23.25 million) grant from Japan via JICA as an SPC, with import duties and taxes covered by the Royal Government of Cambodia.