The construction of a $10-million water treatment plant in Kampot province began on Wednesday.
The facility, which will be able to supply up to 20,000 cubic metres of water per day, will be operational before the year ends, according to the developer.
The plant will also supply neighbouring Kep.
The project is an investment of Anco Water Supply Company, a subsidiary of local conglomerate Anco Brothers.
Minister of Industry and Handicrafts Cham Prasidh, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony, said that water treatment facility will supply clean water to people living in Kampot and in three communes in Kep province.
Several Chinese firms have conducted feasibility studies to build water treatment facilities in the province, but the government has not approved any of these investments yet because the studies showed that production costs would be too high.
“If productions costs are high, the water tariff will also be high. This is not what we want,” said ministry spokesman Um Sotha. “Our goal is to give access to water to everyone at an affordable price. If the cost is too much, we will look into other possibilities.”
The government has said that it aims to give access to clean water to everyone in the country by 2025.
