Cambodia Blocks Nearly 16 Million Cubic Meters of Wastewater Pollution in 2025

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Nov.07, 2025) — Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment says it has prevented nearly 16 million cubic meters of polluted wastewater from being discharged into the environment during the first 10 months of 2025.

From January through October, inspectors stopped 15.9 million cubic meters of untreated wastewater from factories and enterprises, including about 2 million cubic meters in October alone, according to the ministry.

Ministry spokesperson Khvay Atitya said the effort reflects the government’s environmental strategy under Prime Minister Hun Manet, aimed at reducing water pollution and improving public health.

The initiative is part of the Environmental Sector Strategy, which supports the government’s Pentagonal Strategy Phase I for 2023–2028. The program focuses on cleanliness, greening, and sustainability.

Under the “Clean” pillar, the ministry has launched public awareness campaigns and strengthened enforcement to prevent industrial wastewater from entering public waterways.

Atitya said many businesses have installed automatic monitoring systems to track wastewater quality, helping reduce contamination that threatens ecosystems and communities.

Cambodia’s Law on Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management mandates penalties for discharging pollutants that fail to meet national standards and requires proper wastewater treatment.

As of October, 61 industrial sites had signed agreements to improve wastewater management, with 48 already implementing monitoring systems to ensure compliance.