Phnom Penh Water Supply (PPWSA) has pledged to solve the problem of a lack of water in Takhmao and Phnom Penh cities from May, with the possibility of building a new water plant.

PPWSA said in a statement on Thursday that, from the beginning of February to March, the authority has received complaints from customers about water shortages and low-pressure water in many of Phnom Penh’s districts and Takhmao city.

PPWSA has asked for understanding and forgiveness from people, saying it will solve the issue in a systematic way from May onwards.

A woman pumps water into tanks in Pou Sen Chey district. Kiripost

According to PPWSA's water demand study report 2016-2030, the water supply for Phnom Penh would be lacking between 2016 to 2023.

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“Water demand has increased more than 890,000 cubic meters per day, while PPWSA's water production is only about 640,000 cubic meters per day. This means that PPWSA lacks 250,000 cubic meters of water supply per day,” the authority said.

PPWSA said it has committed to providing investment to build a new water treatment plant with the capability to produce 400,000 cubic meters per day.

PPWSA added that it hopes by the beginning of May, the new water treatment plant will produce and distribute 200,000 cubic meters of clean water per day, in addition to the current production capacity of 640,000 cubic meters per day, enabling it to solve 90 percent of the problem.

As part of efforts to resolve the problem, PPWSA also urged people in Phnom Phen and Takhmao to save and share water with others, especially people living in the suburbs.

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Rath Chhan, 56, is a retired journalist and now sells water in tanks on a truck to people living in Phnom Penh’s Pou Sen Chey district.

Chhan said that water demand has increased this year, however, the issue of lack of water has been a little better compared to 2022.

A man pumps water for sales in Pou Sen Chey district. Kiripost/Siv Channa

“The lack of clean water we see still happens every year, like last year. Also, it is people's concern. Before we see people who didn’t connect to clear water, they had problems, but a few years later, we also see some people who connected with clean water, still have problems,” Chhan told Kiripost on Friday.

He added that he began to sell water on a truck more than three years ago after he retired from the Ministry of Information.

“I could find 300,000 rials per day, if I think until now, I didn’t go home, I am still in transport. I see there is a shortage, especially for people who live in boreys. I go 10 times a day in one area, so we see they need more water to use,” he added.

He also urged relevant authorities to find solutions and provide enough water, especially during the dry season.

chhorn.raksmey@kiripost.com