S I T E   N O M I N A T I O N    

Beong Trabek, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

 Site Description
 Human Exposure & Health Impact
 Site Progress


Site Description 

Location & Size of Site:
Beong Trabek is a 11.4 sq km (4.4 sq miles) pond in the southern end of the city, fed by a 1,660 meter long canal, into which Phnom Penh's sewage and waste water runs into. It's the largest sewage detention pond in the city, and the most densely populated.

Contaminant Type, Source & Quantity
Sewage and solid waste

Transmission Pathways
Water

Notes
The public sewer system in Phnom Penh is a combined system, in terms of domestic, industrial and storm water drainage. Waste water from all sources combine and run off directly through the public sewer system into open canals and then to catchment areas, of which the largest is Beong Trabek. The pond is used as a detention basin, from which the waste water is pumped out of the dike by the Beong Trabek pumping station, which is downstream of the pond.

Human Exposure & Health Impact 

Number of Potentially Affected People
According to the Asian Development Bank, 1,300 households are in the direct Beong Trabek vicinity. There are estimated to be 5.7 people per household, making the population in the direct vicinity equal 7,400 people.

The larger catchment area impacted by flooding of Beong Trabek caused by poor drainage is 230,000.

Phnom Penh has a population of 1 million.

Health Impact of Pollutant
ADB estimates that 30% of hospital cases in Phnom Penh are due to water-borne diseases.

Using the contaminated water from the pond leads to outbreak of waterborne diseases: diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, skin disorders, etc.

Site Progress 

March 2004: Site nominated by the Cambodian Ministry of Environment.

As urban sewage issues does not fall within the focus of Polluted Places' mission, this site was not chosen as a project.