ADB approves $93.6m to improve rural WASH in Cambodia

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $93.6 million financing package to improve and expand climate-resilient and inclusive rural water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities in Cambodia. This significant investment aims to benefit approximately 88,000 households in 400 villages across 50 communes in nine provinces.

Addressing a Critical Need

Access to safely managed water supply and sanitation remains a significant challenge in rural Cambodia. In 2022, only 20% of the rural population had access to safely managed water supply, while 34% had access to safely managed sanitation. Open defecation was practiced by about two million rural residents, exposing land and water resources to contamination and contributing to waterborne infections.

The Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Improvement Sector Development Program seeks to address these disparities by supporting the government's efforts to provide universal access to safely managed water supply services, basic hygiene facilities, and improved access to safely managed sanitation facilities in rural areas.

Key Components of the Program

The program includes several critical components:

1. Strengthening governance in the management of community-managed WASH facilities
2. Scaling up government planning for sustainability and climate resilience of WASH services
3. Enhancing private sector participation in the delivery of water supply services
4. Integrating climate change considerations into the planning, design, and implementation of WASH facilities to ensure climate resilience
5. Strengthening coordination among stakeholders and decentralization of functions to ensure effective service delivery

Targeted Provinces and Funding

The program will focus on nine provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Speu, Kampot, Kratie, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Vihear, and Stung Treng. It includes a $3 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific to help finance the expansion of WASH facilities in areas where poor rural residents face the greatest challenges in accessing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities.

Additionally, a $600,000 technical assistance grant from the Sanitation Financing Partnership Trust Fund under the Water Financing Partnership Facility will strengthen the government's capacity to enact key sector reforms under the program.

ADB's Long-standing Partnership in Cambodia's WASH Sector

ADB has been supporting Cambodia's water supply, sanitation, and hygiene sector since 2005, both at the national and subnational levels.