BATTAMBANG CITY, Cambodia, June 12 (Xinhua) -- In northwestern Cambodia's Battambang province, a water supply system has improved access to clean water at affordable prices, reducing waterborne diseases among residents.

The Battambang Water Supply System, undertaken by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), was inaugurated in April with co-financing from the Asian Development Bank, the French Development Agency, the European Union, and the Royal Government of Cambodia.

The upgraded system comprises water intake facilities, a treatment plant, and a 94 km distribution network.

Song Sineth, a 35-year-old grocer on the outskirts of Battambang City, said clean water is no longer a concern for residents now that tap water has reached their homes.

The mother of two children recalled that she had previously bought water from trucks that sold door-to-door to villagers, and the water delivered lime sediment after being stored in jars.

"It is not as clean as this tap water," she said. "I'm thrilled that tap water has been connected to my home ... I just open the faucet whenever I need water."

Sineth noted that piped water access halved her monthly water expenses, from around 10 U.S. dollars to just over 5 dollars.

Vorn Phanthang, a 38-year-old site engineer with CCECC, said the construction of the water supply system consistently adhered to applicable standards from start to finish, featuring engineer inspections at every phase.

"The distributed water is clean, with turbidity and pH levels thoroughly verified prior to household delivery," he told Xinhua. "This project is essential as it provides safe drinking water to local residents."

This upgraded water supply system more than doubled the capacity of the Battambang Water Utility and expanded connections to cover approximately 76 percent of the service area, according to the CCECC.

Seng Sorath, deputy director of the Battambang Water Utility, said that more than 40,000 households in Battambang City and surrounding areas have benefited from this upgraded system.

She noted this clean water supply project has a design capacity of 50,000 cubic meters per day, saying that it provides safe, reliable water while boosting public health and local economic growth.

"This tap water is safe for cooking, drinking, and bathing," she told Xinhua.

Speaking of water prices, Sorath stated that a tiered pricing scheme is in place. Customers who use between one and three cubic meters of water per month pay 1,200 riels (about 0.3 U.S. dollars) per cubic meter. For usage of four cubic meters or more, the rate goes up to 1,500 riels (about 0.37 U.S. dollars) per cubic meter.

"Our thanks go to CCECC for building this water treatment plant, which ensures a sufficient supply of clean water for local residents," she said.