Symposium on results of Water Operator Partnership in Mongolia

Utrecht/Rotterdam – On 5 October 2010, Vitens Evides International organized a symposium at the head office of USUG, the water and sewerage corporation of the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar. The event marked the end of a three year project on capacity development within USUG that is financed by the Netherlands’ Embassy in Beijing. During this symposium, short term experts presented the results of their cooperation with USUG colleagues.
 
Over the last three years, the Water Operator Partnership between USUG and Vitens Evides International resulted in: 

• Enhanced capacity at the Finance & Control division to perform business planning and control and tariff calculations. Major results are the introduction of a management information system and a tariff increase to achieve cost recovering operations;
• Improved customer orientation through capacity building at the Customer Department in the fields of customer research & valuation and water metering;
• Introduction of ground water quality mapping. Results include the introduction of GIS software, establishment of a dedicated sub-department and a stronger negotiating position of USUG on water resource management in its relation to local and national authorities;
• Enhanced capacity at the ICT department. Important results include the introduction of SKADA at two of USUG’s water production plants and decreased energy consumption at both plants of 15%;
• Establishment of a hydraulic model of the distribution system for strategic investment and rehabilitation decisions;
• Enhanced capacity at the laboratory for water quality monitoring. Results include the establishment of a laboratory and training of local staff on advanced analytical techniques;
• Improved water supply for approximately 30,000 people in the Ger areas through connection of 30 water kiosks to the water distribution network. This achievement was co-funded by the Water for Life Foundation and Aqua for All; 
• Enhanced capacity at the Wastewater Division of USUG in the fields of sewer modelling and wastewater treatment operations. For this purpose Vitens Evides International involved experts of the Water Authority of Groot Salland and Wageningen University & Research. Major results include the establishment of a programme for future development of the sewer and wastewater treatment plant in the framework of increased growth of Ulaanbaatar.

Future
USUG and Vitens Evides International will continue their cooperation in the coming years. As for 2011 the focus will be on the development of a groundwater protection plan, continued support for the laboratory, preparations for the establishment of an operational control centre and development of tactical plans for strategic investments and rehabilitation of the network based on the hydraulic model.