Background
The urban water supply system in Cambodia is planned and managed through a combination of national ministries, provincial utilities and technical partners that produce guidance for network development and service management. The Project for Formulation of the Development Plan for Urban Water Supply produced an Urban Water Supply Development Guide and 21 policy objectives to support long-term sector planning.
Over a three-year technical cooperation, model provincial development plans were prepared for Kampot and Prey Veng, and a master plan was developed for the Kampot Public Water Utility. The project aimed to strengthen institutional capacity, planning practice and management tools used by provincial utilities and central bodies involved in urban water services.
Key Developments
On 10 August 2026 MISTI and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) held a dissemination seminar to present the project results. The cooperation produced a Priority Action Plan and planning guidelines alongside the development guide and model plans intended for replication in other provincial contexts.
Institutional Role
MISTI acted as the Cambodian counterpart for the technical cooperation and hosted the dissemination event, while JICA provided technical and capacity-building support over the three-year period. The materials produced are intended to inform how central and provincial authorities coordinate on urban water supply planning and investment sequencing.
Operational Implications for Utilities
Provincial utilities can use the model plans and master plan templates as reference documents when preparing investment schedules and service-improvement measures. The Priority Action Plan outlines phased activities that local utilities and planning agencies can adapt to their asset and service-delivery priorities.
Sources
Official announcement and materials: https://www.misti.gov.kh/pressroom/news-and-events/alDYb8ERKHVm
