Water quality degradation in Stung Kampong Speu, Kampong Speu Province, June 2005

Solid and Liquid Waste - the Main Sources of Water Pollution in the Stream, the Major Source of Local Water Supply

The water quality of the stream had degraded, which was caused by improper disposal of solid waste and sewers from the town. Stung Kampong Speu is located in Kampong Speu Town where population density is high with the crowded various business sectors. Due to the insufficient sanitation system and waste management, some solid wastes and sewers were discharged into the watercourse and . this is one of the main reasons of pollution with high concentration of nitrogen.

Phenomena

Picture 1: The stream during dry season (Pictured by MOE 2005)

In the dry season, water in Stung Kampong Speu (Stung means “stream”) has a low flow with a shallower depth and some parts of the river has less water (as see in the picture above), and that is one of the reasons of insufficient saturation of the waste compounds dumped from the riverbanks.

Picture 2: Stream water sampling, by staff of the Department of Environmental Pollution Control (Pictured by MOE 2005)

Picture 3: Solid waste piled at the bank of Stung Kampong Speu (Pictured by MOE 2005)

In June 2005, the local authority, the line agencies, the Environmental Department of Kampong Speu Province were seriously concerned the decline of water quality in Stung Kampong Speu, which is the major water source of local water supply. Considering the potential risks and hazards to human health and aquatic biodiversities, the Environmental Department of Kampong Speu Province asked the intervention of the Department of Environmental Pollution Control and Ministry of Environment in water quality management, otherwise the local people would be confronted with harmful health impact by using the contaminated water for their living.

Policy response

As a response to urgent needs of actions for water quality improvement and conservation in the stream, the Ministry of Environment issued a plan to control the concerned area by the Department of Environmental Pollution Control as an executive institution. The staff of the department conducted a survey at some sources which could pollute Stung Kampong Speu. In order to identify and assess stream water quality, water sampling in the stream was conducted. Sampled water was analysed at the site or in the laboratory of the Ministry of Environment (for some water quality parameters that cannot analyse at the site).

Based on the outcome of the survey and analysis, the Ministry of Environment suggested that the Governor of Kampong Speu Province and relevant local institutions should take actions to manage solid and liquid waste properly, in particular to avoid disposal of waste into the stream. The provincial authorities and the Environmental Department of Kampong Speu Province have improved their capacity to monitor and control water quality in the stream based on technical recommendations from the Ministry of Environment which includes recommendations to minimise various activities which discharged pollutants. . Additionally, many sign-boards were installed at public areas and along the stream to instruct people not to dump waste to the stream. If someone still violate the instructions ─ it means he/she violates the Sub-Decree on Solid Waste Management, he/she will be punished for non-compliance of the Sub-Decree.
 Sub- Decree on Solid Waste Management

With a close collaboration with local authority and concerned institutions, the Environmental Department of Kampong Speu Province took countermeasures to regularly control the stream as well as to strengthen the waste management of pollution sources.

References

• The complaint from the Environmental Department of Kampong Speu Province
• Report of the survey team of the Department of Environmental Pollution Control; Ministry of Environment, June 2005
• Official letter announcing to H.E. Governor of the Kampong Speu Province for taking action in protecting and maintaining the water quality of Stung Kampong Speu; 2005
• Sub-Decree on Solid Waste Management, April 1999
• Joint Prakas of the Ministry o Environment and the Ministry of Interior on Solid Waste Management in Cities and Provinces; February 25, 2003

Data and information as indicated in the Section of Background was provided by senior officers of the Environmental Provincial Departments, and some parts of them were quoted from documents of which printed for general dissemination.

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