Human Resources and Organisational Structures

There is not enough relevant information on organisations which are involved in water environment management in Cambodia. The Department of Environmental Pollution Control is the executive institution of the Ministry of Environment. The department is responsible for water quality control of public water areas and at various point/non-point sources of pollution. The Office of Water and Soil Quality Management is responsible for the monitoring of water quality under the umbrella of the Department of Environmental Pollution Control.

The Office of Water and Soil Quality Management has 14 members of staff (all male) with various responsibilities. The office is divided into the following key divisions: (i) Management Division on Water Quality Data and Its Pollution Source; (ii) Management Division on Pollution Sources in Phnom Penh Municipality; and (iii) Management Division on Pollution Sources in Provinces and Cities (besides Phnom Penh City).

As indicated in the figure, the Office of Water and Soil Quality Management staff have different backgrounds or expertise, meaning they probably have less understanding and knowledge of the water environment (Ten-Years Achievement and Water and Soil Quality Management in Cambodia 2003-2007). Because of their profound efforts in studying and learning such from technical documents and internal/external training courses/workshops, they currently have some knowledge of and experience to cope with degradation of water quality and to eliminate pollution, as well as in analytical methods to water/effluent samples. However, additional knowledge of, for example, wastewater/effluent treatment engineering, integrated water environment management is necessary.

The number of officers of Environmental Provincial/Municipal Departments who get involved in water environment management is not available. They have a main office that is responsible for monitoring/controlling the environmental quality as a whole (which covered on water, soil and air).

The table below shows that the number of officers in the ministry and provincial and municipal environmental departments

Table 1: Number of Staff of the Ministry of Environment and Provincial/Municipal Environmental Departments

Source:
1) Ministry of the Environment. Environmental Strategic Plan 2004-2008,
2) Office of Water and Soil Quality Management. Ten-Years Achievement and Water and Soil Quality Management in Cambodia 2003-2007;
3) Office of Water and Soil Quality Management.2002. Report of the Water and Soil Quality Management Office