Baseline Assessment of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) Infrastructure and Practices in Government Schools of the Trapeang Chour Commune, Cambodia

Equitable access to clean water and sanitation is a sustainable development goal that merits attention in Cambodia. The purpose of this study was to examine the WaSH infrastructure, practices, and previous interventions in 8 rural government schools serving approximately 2,500 students in the Trapeang Chour Commune, Cambodia. A rapid assessment methodology was utilized to collect field data including key informant interviews with school administrators, site visits and observational surveys at local schools, and focus group interviews with parents. Observational data collection focused on existing water supply and storage infrastructure, latrine cleanliness and infrastructure, accessibility to drinking water, and other WaSH related physical resources. In addition, a rapid field test for Escherichia coli (E. coli) was carried out to determine availability to safe drinking water at each school. At the time of this assessment, seven of the eight schools had an untreated water source and at least one functioning latrine. No schools provided treated drinking water to students. The primary water source at three out of eight schools tested positive for E. coli. These baseline data suggest the need for sustainable WaSH program interventions and basic water infrastructure in the eight government schools of the Trapeang Chour Commune, Cambodia.