Canadian design firm, Stantec (STN) has been selected to provide advisory services on the water infrastructure improvements in Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital.

The company was chosen by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US Government agency working to reduce global poverty.

MCC and the Mongolian Government are collaborating on a Mongolia Water Compact, worth approximately USD 350 million. The compact’s Water Supply Project is designed to increase water supply to Mongolia’s capital city by 80 percent.

Ulaanbaatar is rapidly expanding, thanks to an influx of new residents and general population growth. The city’s population has tripled in the last 30 years, creating a strain on the water supply. Other contributing factors like rapid urbanisation, insufficient water infrastructure, and climate change have also impacted Ulaanbaatar’s natural water supply.

If left unaddressed, the strain on the city’s water supply could result in demand exceeding supply as soon as next year. A water shortage would significantly impact quality of life for Mongolians, and restrict their capacity for economic growth, already hard hit by the Coronvirus pandemic.

As an advisor, Stantec will make recommendations regarding the suitability, accuracy, and completeness of project elements, such as compliance with international standards. The company will also provide advice to MCC regarding implementation of policy, regulatory, and institutional reforms to ensure the city’s water supply is sustainable for the long term.

These services will help enable the construction of new groundwater wells, a water purification plant, a wastewater recycling plant, and nearly 100 kilometres of large diameter pipelines.