Cambodia: floating toilets for floating communities

Updated - Tuesday 17 March 2009

Lien Aid, a Singapore-based non-governmental organization is stepping up its work in Cambodia, in particular on the floating toilets of the "River of life" project" for the floating communities on the Tonle Sap lake. "We have already heightened the communities’ awareness on proper sanitation. This month, we will introduce different toilet designs that they can build on their houseboats", Mr. Sahari Ani, the chief executive officer said in an interview by the Asian Development Bank in their "Water Champion" series. "Simultaneously, we’re providing them with a safer choice for drinking water by building a floating water treatment plant", Mr. Ani said. "We are exploring several options including the use of especially adapted septic tanks plus ecological sanitation using the urine diversion-dissecting (UDD) toilet".

Lien Aid works together with the Cambodian Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) and local authorities. The "River of Life" project was launched by Lien Aid and the Lien Institute For the Environment (LIFE) to support the Tonle Sap community of about 10,000 people.

Contact: Lien Aid, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, shimei@lienaid.org

Source: ADB, Feb 2009