Drinking water & Sanitation

Strengthening drinking water expertise in Cambodia: OiEau and PPWSA deepen their collaboration

Published on 07/03/25

The partnership between the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) and the International Office for Water (OiEau) continues to grow, as both organizations work together to support the development of technical capacities in the Cambodian water sector. This international cooperation initiative is supported by the French Development Agency (AFD).

A Strategic Training Partnership for Drinking Water Professionals

Initiated in 2024, this collaboration focuses on technical training in water metering and measurement, a critical area for improving water service performance.

In June 2025, a team of PPWSA engineers traveled to OiEau’s training center in Limoges, France, to strengthen their expertise through hands-on learning.

This training builds on a first study tour in April 2024, during which Mr. Long Naro, Director General of the PPWSA, led a delegation to Limoges to explore potential areas of cooperation. That visit helped identify the key skills to be strengthened in alignment with the evolving water governance landscape in Cambodia.

Toward a National Water Training Center in Cambodia

In May 2024, following this initial exchange, a technical mission was carried out in Phnom Penh at the request of the AFD. Its goal was to assess the feasibility of establishing a training center within PPWSA, which could later serve a national-level capacity-building mission for water professionals across Cambodia.

This mission laid the groundwork for a second study visit to France in September 2024, involving the project manager and human resources director of the PPWSA. The objective: to fully understand the structure, tools, and pedagogical model of the OiEau training center and apply this knowledge to the Cambodian context.

A Full Training Program Planned for 2025

To address priority skill needs identified by the PPWSA, five technical training sessions have been scheduled for 2025 at the OiEau training center in Limoges. These sessions will cover:

Water metrology and metering, training course just completed
Applied hydraulics for drinking water networks
Operation and maintenance of pumping stations
Improvement of water distribution network performance
Optimization of drinking water production processes

These training programs aim to strengthen the operational capacity of PPWSA’s technical teams, ensuring sustainable, high-quality service delivery. The PPWSA continues to be recognized as a benchmark public water utility in Southeast Asia.

A Partnership Rooted in Knowledge Sharing

“The first phase of this collaboration helped us identify the specific areas where OiEau could provide support to PPWSA in both its current activities and future developments, particularly in light of a potential reform of Cambodia’s water policy. The second phase—through hands-on training in France—allows for deeper cooperation with PPWSA’s operational departments.

Nicolas Jeanmaire

Head of International Activities at OiEau’s training center

Through this international partnership, both institutions are actively contributing to improved water governance and professional development in the Cambodian water sector.