Water

Comparative Analysis of Water Sector Reforms
Tracking Progress in Asia and the Pacific
Phase 1- Assessing Water Sector Policies and Reforms - Country Briefs

Cambodia

• National policies and reforms
• Water resource management
• Improving water services
• Conserving water
• Promoting regional cooperation
• Fostering participation; capacity building; networking

Water is firmly on the agenda in Cambodia, because of its importance to food security and rural livelihoods. ESA support has enabled promotion of water issues through a series of high-profile events, so the stage is set for progress. However, progress is being hindered by political uncertainty and governance issues, while the socio-economic environment (particularly in terms of the extent of rural poverty and difficulties in increasing rates of economic growth) is not conducive to innovative approaches to resource management.

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With ESA support, good progress has been made on sector review and policy development, and the senior political leadership has taken an active interest in administrative reform. Passage of a draft Law on Water Resources Management appears to have been hindered by political uncertainties, so implementation of policies is hindered by lack of a legal base for enforcement.

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Progress in water resources management is very mixed. There has been some recent good progress in diverse areas such as flood disaster response, social and environmental impact analysis, and promoting community engagement in projects. ESA-funded projects generally promote "good practice". However, there are areas of weakness, such as a very inadequate information base, a lack of enforceable mechanisms for water allocation, and limited effort in the management of water quality and catchments/forests/wetlands.

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Provision of water services presents many challenges, with heavy involvement of public agencies, inadequate budgets and minimal levels of cost recovery, and limited engagement of the private sector or beneficiaries. As a result, physical infrastructure commonly is in a very poor state and water service delivery quality is poor or non-existent. The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) is a notable exception to this, as a result of heavy investment, autonomy, and strong leadership.

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Progress is being made in several aspects, particularly in adopting policies with regard to cost recovery, water tariffs, regulation of wastewater discharges, and beneficiary participation. The PPWSA is the leading example of how these policies are being effectively implemented; implementation in other areas of water use is much less advanced. Only recently have decision makers begun to realize that Cambodia is "water-wealthy" only in the wet season, and that water conservation during the dry season is essential.

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Cambodia participates in the work of the Mekong River Commission, and derives significant benefit there from, particularly in regard to flood management and water resources information. As a downstream riparian state, Cambodia has a particular interest in regional cooperation, and there remains much scope for addressing basin-scale issues that impact on its interests.

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Progress is only now being made in these areas, and it is heavily dependent on external assistance. The legacy of a centralized state that took responsibility for water resources management and service delivery, low levels of education, and a general lack of funds have hindered initiatives in areas such as participation of civil society in project design and management.