Phnom Penh Completes Major Drainage Pump Station to Combat Flooding

Phnom Penh Capital Administration is advancing the construction of a major drainage pump station to mitigate flood damage during the rainy season, particularly to homes and infrastructure. The newly constructed 'Kilometer 9' drainage pump station, located in Svay Pak commune, Russey Keo district, boasts a drainage capacity of 834 cubic meters per second. The construction of this pump station was initiated under the leadership of HE Khuong Sreng, Governor of Phnom Penh. Currently, 90% of the work is complete, with plans to connect it to surrounding areas before the Pchum Ben festival (Ancestor's Day) to begin pumping water into the river. The full completion is targeted for November 2026. The pump station is equipped with four powerful motors. Two units with a 1-meter diameter have a pumping capacity of 9,000 cubic meters per hour each, while two units with a 0.8-meter diameter can pump 6,000 cubic meters per hour each. This brings the total pumping capacity to 30,000 cubic meters per hour, or 834 cubic meters per second. According to Mr. Kun Sophea, Chief of the Department of Public Works and Transport in Russey Keo district, the Kilometer 9 pump station will play a crucial role in draining water from the Bak Tuch and Ou Veng canals to the Kilometer 9 location. This facility will not only drain water within Russey Keo district but also from Dong Penh and Tuol Kork districts, contributing to the city's overall flood mitigation efforts. In parallel with the pump station construction and following the directives of HE Khuong Sreng, Governor of Phnom Penh, the Russey Keo district administration and the Department of Public Works and Transport of Phnom Penh have also undertaken dredging of the Bak Tuch and Ou Veng canals to improve water flow towards the Kilometer 9 pump station. Mr. Chin Bunthoeun, Governor of Russey Keo district, stated that this dredging project, which commenced on March 9, 2026, and concluded on July 12, 2026, spanned 122 days. The Bak Tuch canal was dredged for 3,520 meters, and the Ou Veng canal for 3,480 meters, totaling 7,000 meters. Eleven pieces of machinery and equipment, including five sludge trucks, three long-arm excavators, one short-arm excavator, and one barge, were utilized. Mr. Mao Vannna, Commune Chief of Kilometer 6, while inspecting the canals on August 3, noted that with the ongoing dredging of Ou Veng canal and the construction of the Kilometer 9 pump station, Kilometer 6 commune will no longer face the threat of flooding from heavy rains. He expressed profound gratitude on behalf of the residents to HE Khuong Sreng for the construction of the pump station, which has alleviated their fears of flood damage. He also appealed to residents living along the canals to participate in maintaining the dredged canals and to dispose of their waste properly to ensure environmental hygiene and prevent blockages.