Background
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) led a Cambodian delegation to Kitakyushu and Tokyo from 27 July to 5 August 2026 for a capacity-building programme on urban sewerage management. The programme targeted technical planning, operation and maintenance (O&M), human resources, financial and accounting management, and public engagement for sewerage systems.
Urban sewerage systems collect, convey, and treat municipal wastewater to prevent environmental contamination and protect public health. Operation and maintenance of sewerage infrastructure typically involves routine inspection, pump station upkeep, desludging, and SCADA-based monitoring to sustain continuous service delivery.
Key Developments
MPWT’s delegation, led by Director-General Chav Sopheap, attended classroom training and site visits to wastewater treatment facilities and SCADA control centres in Kitakyushu and Tokyo. Participants included representatives from the Phnom Penh Capital Administration and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the course covered both technical operations and public communication practices used in Japan.
Institutional Role
The delegation was organized by the Directorate General of Drainage and Sewerage within MPWT, reflecting the ministry’s technical coordination role for sewerage policy and system planning at the national level. Phnom Penh municipal authorities participated to align local operational responsibilities with national planning and to study municipal-level management approaches demonstrated in Kitakyushu.
Operational Implications
Following the training, the delegation intends to adapt lessons to Cambodian conditions and has requested continued Japanese support for several initiatives: a feasibility study for flood protection and sewerage management planning in Phnom Penh; capacity expansion of a primary wastewater treatment station to 100,000 cubic metres per day; technical assistance for subsequent project phases; and cohort-based O&M training for Cambodian specialists.
