WATER supply revenues increased just 5 percent on an annualised basis over the first eight months of the year to US$15 million, Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) figures show.

PPWSA Director General Ek Sonn Chan said the authority was on track to take in $21 million in revenues this year, up from $20 million for the full year 2008.

Revenues grew a much faster 17.6 percent in 2008, up from $17 million a year earlier. Ek Sonn Chan said the slowdown came because of lower-than-expected construction activity in the cities and the closure of many factories this year. "Though we are facing challenges, I firmly hope that we will reach our goal at year-end."

Around 178,200 families, or 90 percent of total households in Phnom Penh, were connected to the authority's water network last year, and it has added another 14,000 households to date this year after expanding its pipe infrastructure by 80 kilometres, Ek Sonn Chan said.

It has also expanded production capacity to 250,000 cubic metres per day, up from 235,000 cubic metres last year.