Unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of child-specific deaths in Cambodia. In rural Cambodia, nearly 30% of people consume water from an unimproved water source (either surface or deep-water wells). Water coming from an unimproved source often contains human/animal waste and/or high levels of arsenic. We provide clean water systems that filter human/animal waste and remove arsenic prior to human consumption. 

Unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of child-specific deaths in Cambodia. Safe water consumption requires high‐quality water available at its source and at point of use.

Cambodia is making steady but insufficient progress in meeting water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) targets. Despite improvements in WASH systems and practices, Cambodia has the highest rate of open defecation in the region, with eight in ten of the poorest rural Cambodians defecating out in fields, in open bodies of water, or other open spaces, rather than using a toilet. This continues to be a dangerous challenge, as human waste near waterways and houses spreads diseases quickly and puts children and their families at risk.

One in three Cambodians uses water from a non-improved drinking source, which means they do not hygienically separate human waste from human contact. Seven in ten pre-primary schools do not have access to WASH facilities, and one in two rural healthcare facilities does not have sufficient water all year around.

Children continue to be stunted and to die from sanitation-specific causes, primarily related to unsafe drinking water. Many of those living in extreme poverty in rural parts of Cambodia do not have access to clean water, toilets or hand-washing facilities in their communities or schools. Particularly in rural areas, people have very limited understanding of the importance of proper sanitation and hygiene.

For Cambodia, access to water supply service is defined as the availability of an improved water source. An improved water source is not necessarily safe, but an improved source is more likely to provide safe water. The definition of improved water source includes piped water in the dwelling, piped into compound yard or plot, public tap/standpipe, tube/piped well or borehole, protected well, protected spring, rainwater collection and bottled water.

Become More brings safe water to people living throughout Cambodia. Each water system is capable of providing safe drinking water to 600+ people, dramatically improving health outcomes for hundreds of families.