Efforts to improve access to clean water and sanitation in East Asia and the Pacific continue, with projects in Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), and Papua New Guinea aiming to address these critical needs.
In Cambodia, the Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project seeks to benefit around 79,000 people with access to clean water and 27,000 with improved sanitation in Siem Reap by December 2026. The initiative has already reached nearly 4,000 people with clean water and more than 10,000 with sanitation services since its launch in 2019. "World Bank support has helped with the construction of a new 21.8-kilometer sewer system, which is connected to 2,000 households. This new system helps reduce pollution and makes daily treatment and pumping operations less costly," said Ky Vyrin, Director of the Department of Public Works and Transport, Siem Reap Province.
The Scaling-Up Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Project in Laos aims to improve services for 65,000 people with water access and 15,000 with sanitation and better hygiene by 2026. As of early 2024, the project has installed latrines and handwashing facilities in 71 schools, benefiting over 7,700 schoolchildren. New facilities have also been installed in 19 health centers. "Sometimes toilets do not have water, so teachers have to fetch water from the village," Ms. Phaeng Soulichanh, Principal of Huaichai Primary School, noted, emphasizing the need for better facilities.
In Papua New Guinea, the Water Supply and Sanitation Development Project has already supplied 5,000 people with clean drinking water, with goals to reach 41,000 by April 2026. The improvements have led to fewer waterborne diseases and higher school attendance. Rolland Paponurea, District Administrator, remarked, "At school, we would see only 20–30 percent of the children. Since the water supply project has given us access to water, attendance has improved dramatically."
These projects are part of a broader effort to meet the Sustainable Development Goal 6 across the region. Currently, less than 30 percent of the populations in these areas have access to basic sanitation, impacting health and causing high childhood stunting rates. Addressing the disparities, particularly in rural and underserved areas, is a crucial focus.
The World Bank's work in these countries highlights collaborative efforts to improve water supply, sanitation, and nutrition, ultimately aiming to support socio-economic development and achieve lasting change in these communities.