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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $93.6 million financing package, including loans and grants, aimed at improving and expanding climate-resilient and inclusive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services for 88,000 households across 400 villages in 50 communes, spanning nine provinces in rural Cambodia.
The initiative, known as the Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Improvement Sector Development Program, aligns with government efforts to achieve universal access to safe water supply and basic hygiene in rural areas. The program also seeks to improve access to safely managed sanitation facilities while ensuring affordability for all communities.
A key component of the program is fostering private sector involvement in the provision of water supply services. Additionally, the program prioritizes the climate resilience of WASH infrastructure by incorporating climate change considerations into the planning, design, and implementation stages. Strengthening coordination among stakeholders and decentralizing responsibilities are also integral to the program’s approach to ensuring effective service delivery.
“The program supports the ‘WASH for All’ initiative by focusing on rural populations in remote areas. It proposes reforms to enhance governance in community-managed WASH facilities and aims to scale up government planning for sustainability and climate resilience,” said Jyotsana Varma, ADB Country Director for Cambodia.
The program includes a $3 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, specifically allocated to expand WASH facilities in provinces where access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene remains a significant challenge for the poor. The targeted provinces include Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Speu, Kampot, Kratie, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Vihear, and Stung Treng.
Additionally, a $600,000 technical assistance grant from the Sanitation Financing Partnership Trust Fund under the Water Financing Partnership Facility will enhance the government’s capacity to implement crucial sector reforms outlined in the program.
As of 2022, access to safely managed water supply in Cambodia stood at 29% nationally, with rural areas lagging at just 20%. Access to safely managed sanitation was 37% nationwide, and 34% in rural regions. Open defecation remains prevalent, affecting approximately two million rural residents, posing significant risks of contamination and waterborne diseases.
ADB has been a longstanding partner in advancing Cambodia’s WASH sector since 2005, benefiting over one million people, particularly in the provinces surrounding the Tonle Sap Lake.
ADB remains committed to fostering a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while continuing its mission to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, ADB is owned by 68 members, 49 of which are from the region.
