PHNOM PENH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Cambodia's Siem Reap province have announced plans to pump water from the Tonle Sap Lake in order to supplement the province's supplies as water shortages continue to tighten their grip on the region, national media reported Friday.
The government would implement the program under a soft loans package from the Japanese government worth between 200 million and 300 million U.S. dollars, pending the completion of a feasibility study, Siem Reap Governor Sou Phirin was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.
"A one-year-and-a-half feasibility study will be started in June to take water from the Tonle Sap basin to supply Siem Reap province," he said.
The province's water is primarily sourced from underground water tables, but Sou Phirin said the proposed project would supplant traditional sources, citing fears the draining of groundwater was endangering the foundations of Angkorian-era temples in the province.
"The new project will sustain a supply of clean water for the province," he said, adding that three new satellite cities currently under construction would also be supplied with lake water.
Chan Sengla, deputy director general of the Siem Reap Water Supply Authority, said the initiative to pump water from the lake was due to the growth in population and increased tourist traffic to the province.
"For the first phase, we plan to tap 20,000 to 30,000 cubic meters a day from the lake," he said.
The government would implement the program under a soft loans package from the Japanese government worth between 200 million and 300 million U.S. dollars, pending the completion of a feasibility study, Siem Reap Governor Sou Phirin was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.
"A one-year-and-a-half feasibility study will be started in June to take water from the Tonle Sap basin to supply Siem Reap province," he said.
The province's water is primarily sourced from underground water tables, but Sou Phirin said the proposed project would supplant traditional sources, citing fears the draining of groundwater was endangering the foundations of Angkorian-era temples in the province.
"The new project will sustain a supply of clean water for the province," he said, adding that three new satellite cities currently under construction would also be supplied with lake water.
Chan Sengla, deputy director general of the Siem Reap Water Supply Authority, said the initiative to pump water from the lake was due to the growth in population and increased tourist traffic to the province.
"For the first phase, we plan to tap 20,000 to 30,000 cubic meters a day from the lake," he said.
