Phnom Penh Boosts Drainage Capacity with New Pumping Station Nearing Completion

Phnom Penh is enhancing its drainage capacity to mitigate flood damage caused by heavy rainfall during the rainy season. The Phnom Penh Municipal Administration is constructing a new drainage pumping station, dubbed 'Kilometer 9 Pumping Station,' in the Svay Pak commune of Russey Keo district. Construction has reached 90% completion. The new pumping station is designed to discharge 8.34 cubic meters of water per second. Partial operation is slated to commence before the Pchum Ben festival (September), with the facility intended to pump water into the river. Full completion of the construction is anticipated by November 2026. The station is equipped with four motors: two with a cross-section of 1 meter, each capable of pumping 9,000 cubic meters per hour, and two with a cross-section of 0.8 meters, each capable of pumping 6,000 cubic meters per hour. This brings the total pumping capacity to 30,000 cubic meters per hour, or 8.34 cubic meters per second. According to Mr. Khun Sophea, Chief of the Department of Public Works and Transport for Russey Keo District, the Kilometer 9 pumping station will drain water from the Bak Tuk Canal and Ou Veng Canal. This facility will not only relieve flooding in Russey Keo district but also in Don Penh and Tuol Kork districts. Mr. Khun Sophea further stated that in addition to the Kilometer 9 pumping station, the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration, under the continuous guidance of Governor Khuong Sreng, is also dredging the Bak Tuk and Ou Veng canals. The Russey Keo district authorities and the Phnom Penh Department of Public Works and Transport are working to improve water flow towards the Kilometer 9 pumping station. Mr. Chin Bunthoeun, Governor of Russey Keo District, reported that the dredging of the Bak Tuk and Ou Veng canals within the district has been underway for 122 days, from March 9, 2026, to July 12, 2026. The Bak Tuk Canal dredging covered a length of 3,520 meters, and the Ou Veng Canal dredging covered 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. These canals play a crucial role in draining rainwater during heavy downpours, preventing inundation, and strategically receiving water from the Tuol Kork pumping station. Meanwhile, Mr. Mao Vanna, Chief of Kilometer 6 Commune, while inspecting the canals on the morning of August 3, commented that the construction of the Kilometer 9 pumping station along the Ou Veng Canal will significantly reduce the risk of flooding in Kilometer 6 commune. As a representative of the residents, Mr. Mao Vanna expressed his deepest gratitude to Governor Khuong Sreng for the construction of this pumping station, which has alleviated residents' fears of flooding. 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. Source: Kampuchea Thmey Local