In the wake of last year’s crippling drought, the Pailin provincial government has given the go-ahead for a temporary reservoir about 5 km from the city.
“The company will build a dam to catch clean water for villagers. If we don’t allow them to do it, we might face problems if a drought hits,” Sun Yi, Pailin City governor, said on Thursday.
The prolonged dry spell, coupled with soaring temperatures, caused water shortages in several provinces last year. The new reservoir will be built by damming water at a nearby tourist resort, O’Tavao stream, a popular destination for tourists and picnickers from town.
Local media photographs show the dam construction is already well underway, even though it only recently received approval, with concrete slabs propped up by wooden scaffolding slicing across a narrow, forested canyon.
Keut Sothea, Pailin provincial governor, said the dam would be a temporary drought-relief measure as the province sought a more permanent solution.
“They have to find another place to build the dam,” he said.
