Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modular Concept for Municipal Water Management in the Kharaa River Basin, Mongolia

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Integrated Water Resources Management: Concept, Research and Implementation

Abstract

Mongolia is a country with limited water resources but a rising water consumption due to an increasing population, urbanization and economic growth, which is largely driven by a booming mining sector. These processes do not only lead to greater water abstractions, but also contribute to water quality and aquatic ecosystem deterioration. Urban areas play a key role in this context, since water abstractions and waste water generation are concentrated here. However, there are considerable disparities between urban centers with centralized water supply and sewage infrastructures and peri-urban regions. Where existant, infrastructures for drinking water supply and wastewater collection and treatment are often in a poor state of maintenance, leading to the contamination of groundwater and surface water bodies with pathogens, nutrients, and other chemical substances. This paper presents components of a modular concept for urban water management at the example of Darkhan Uul Aimag, which were developed and pilot-tested in the context of a project aiming at the development and implementation of an integrated water resources management (IWRM) for the North Mongolian Kharaa River Basin. It is discussed how solutions were adapted to local situations, considering both sustainable resource utilization and local acceptance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anthonj C, Beskow S, Dornelles F, Fushita AT, Galharte CA, Galvão P, Gatti Junior P, Gücker B, Hildebrandt A, Karthe D, Knillmann S, Kotsila P, Krauze K, Kledson Leal Silva A, Lehmann P, Moura P, Periotto NA, Rodrigues Filho JL, Lopes dos Santos DR, Selge F, Silva T, Soares RM, Strohbach M, Suhogusoff A, Wahnfried I, Zandonà E, Zasada I (2014) Water in Urban Regions: building future knowledge to integrate land use, ecosystem services and human health. German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Brazilian Academy of Sciences, German Young Academy, Halle, 32 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Avlyush S (2011) Effects of surface gold mining on macroinvertebrate communities. A case study in river systems in the North-East of Mongolia. Lambert Academic Publishing, Saarbrücken

    Google Scholar 

  • Badran M, Jamrah A, Gaese H (2010) Assessment of a cost-covering sanitation tariff for Alexandria/Egypt. http://www.susana.org/en/resources/library/details/693. Accessed 01 Dec 2014

  • Basandorj D, Altanzagas B (2007) Current situation and key problems on water supply and sanitation in Mongolia. In: Proceedings of the international forum on strategic technology, Ulaanbaatar 2007, pp 166–168. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=4798550. Accessed 01 Dec 2014

  • Borchardt D, Bjørnsen PK, Bogardi JJ et al (2013) Message from the Dresden international conference on integrated water resources management: management of water in a changing world: lessons learnt and innovative perspectives. In: Borchardt D, Ibisch R (2013) Integrated water resources management in a changing world: lessons learnt and innovation perspectives, pp xiii–xiv. IWA Publishing, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Braun C (2014) Plausibility check of submitted documents in a tender process for a sewage system in Bag 7, Darkhan, Mongolia. Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Weimar

    Google Scholar 

  • Brix H, Arias CA (2005) Danish guidelines for small-scale constructed wetland systems for onsite treatment of domestic sewage. Water Sci Technol 51(9):1–9

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruski C (2015) Gemeinsame Faulung von Klärschlamm und Fäzes unter extremen klimatischen Bedingungen—Beispiel Mongolei. Schriftenreihe des Bauhaus-Institut für zukunftsweisende Infrastruktursysteme (b.is), Vol 16. Rhombos-Verlag, Weimar

    Google Scholar 

  • City of Ulaanbaatar (2006) Hygiene and sanitation situation report for ger areas, Mongolia: community-led infrastructure development project. Prepared with financial support of the World Bank-Netherlands Water Partnership, Ulaanbaatar

    Google Scholar 

  • DWA (2012): 25. Leistungsvergleich kommunaler Kläranlagen. Hennef: Deutsche Vereinigung für Wasserwirtschaft, Abwasser und Abfall e. V

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardemann E, Stadelbauer J (2012) Städtesystem und regionale Entwicklung in der Mongolei: Zwischen Persistenz und Transformation. Geographische Rundschau 64(12):34–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Gawel E, Sigel K, Bretschneider W (2013) Affordability of water supply in Mongolia—empirical lessons for measuring affordability. Water Policy 15(1):19–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Genté R (2013) Die Jurtenviertel von Ulan-Bator. LE MONDE diplomatique 08/03/2013. http://www.mondediplomatique.de/pm/2013/03/08.mondeText.artikel,a0048.idx,14. Accessed 01 Dec 2014

  • Global Water Partnership Technical Advisory Committee (=GWP-TAC) (2010) Integrated water resources management. Stockholm, Sweden

    Google Scholar 

  • Global Water Partnership Technical Committee (=GWP-TEC) (2012) Integrated urban water management. Stockholm, Sweden

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregerson P, Brix H (2001) Zero-discharge of nutrients and water in a willow dominated constructed wetland. Water Sci Technol 44:407–412

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutjahr F (2013) Entwicklung von angepassten Gebührensystemen für integrierte Sanitärsysteme in Jurtensiedlungen in der Mongolei. Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Weimar

    Google Scholar 

  • Heppeler J (2012) Optimization of the operation of a sequencing batch reactor (SBR)—on the example of the pilot wastewater treatment plant in Darkhan, Mongolia. Masterthesis, University of Stuttgart, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann J (2008) Bericht über die Untersuchungen von Grundwasser und Boden auf Schwermetalle und Cyanid in Khongor Sum. Project report in German language with Mongolian abstract. doi:10.13140/2.1.4306.5928

  • Hofmann J, Husemann P (2012) Water balance of Darkhan city for the period 2010/2011. doi:10.13140/2.1.1595.5525

  • Houdret A, Dombrowsky I, Horlemann L (2013) The institutionalization of river basin management as politics of scale—insights from Mongolia. J Hydrol 519C:2392–2404. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.11.037

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann J, Tuul D, Enkhtuya B (2016) Agriculture in Mongolia under pressure of agronomic nutrient imbalances and food security demands: a case study of stakeholder participation for future nutrient and water resource management. In: Borchardt D, Bogardi J, Ibisch R (eds) Integrated water resources management: concept, research and implementation. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann J, Watson V, Scharaw B (2015) Groundwater quality under stress: contaminants in the Kharaa River basin (Mongolia). Environ Earth Sci 73(2):629–648. doi:10.1007/s12665-014-3148-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann J, Venohr M, Behrendt H, Opitz D (2010) Integrated water resources management in central Asia: nutrient and heavy metal emissions and their relevance for the Kharaa River Basin, Mongolia. Water Sci Technol 62(2):353–363. doi:10.2166/wst.2010.262

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann J, Hürdler J, Ibisch R, Schaeffer M, Borchardt D (2011) Analysis of recent nutrient emission pathways, resulting surface water quality and ecological impacts under extreme continental climate: the Kharaa River Basin (Mongolia). Internat Rev Hydrobiol 96(5):484–519. doi:10.1002/iroh.201111294

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janzen J (2012) Die Mongolei im Zeichen von Marktwirtschaft und Globalisierung. Geographische Rundschau 64(12):4–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Karthe D, Borchardt D, Hufert F (2012a) Implementing IWRM: experiences from a Central Asian model region. In: Pandya AB (ed) (2012) India water week 2012. Water, energy and food security: call for solutions, Part A3, pp 1–15. Ministry of Water Resources, Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Karthe D, Heldt S, Houdret A, Borchardt D (2015) IWRM in a country under rapid transition: lessons learnt from the Kharaa River Basin, Mongolia. Environ Earth Sci 72(3):681–695. doi:10.1007/s12665-014-3435-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karthe D, Malsy M, Kopp S, Minderlein S, Hülsmann L (2013) Assessing water availability and its drivers in the context of an integrated water resources management (IWRM): a case study from the Kharaa River Basin, Mongolia. GeoÖko 34(1–2):5–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Karthe D, Sigel K, Scharaw B, Stäudel J, Hufert F, Borchardt D (2012b) Towards an integrated concept for monitoring and improvements in water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in urban Mongolia. Water Risk 20:1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuramitsu M, Kuroiwa C, Yoshida H et al (2005) Non-polio enterovirus isolation among families in Ulaanbaatar and Tov province, Mongolia: prevalence, intrafamilial spread, and risk factors for infection. Epidemiol Infect 133(6):1131–1142

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Londong J, Stäudel J, Rost G, Bruski C (2014) Integriertes Wasserressourcen-Management in Zentralasien: Modellregion Mongolei, Phase II (MoMo2) - Ganzheitliche, stoffstromorientierte Betrachtung der Siedlungswasserwirtschaft als Baustein eines IWRM, Weimar, Germany. Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Project report. doi:10.2314/GBV:843607491. Available at https://www.tib.eu/de/suchen/download/tx_tibsearch_search[docid]=TIBKAT:843607491&cHash=24cec748d8fadd027b265906baa2959c

  • Lüthi C, Morel A, Tilley E, Ulrich L (2011) Community-led urban environmental sanitation planning (CLUES). EAWAG-SanDeC, WSSCC & UN-HABITAT, Zürich

    Google Scholar 

  • Malsy M, Aus der Beek T, Eisner S, Kynast E, Florke M (2011) Vulnerability of Central Asian water resources to climate variability. In: Gurinovich AD (ed) (2011) Proceedings of the IWA 1st Central Asian regional young and senior water professionals conference, Almaty/Kazakhstan, pp 103–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzel L, Hofmann J, Ibisch R (2011) Untersuchung von Wasser- und Stoffflüssen als Grundlage für ein Integriertes Wasserressourcen—Management im Kharaa-Einzugsgebiet (Mongolei). Hydrol Wasserbewirtsch 55(2):88–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Minderlein S, Menzel L (2015) Evapotranspiration and energy balance dynamics of a semi-arid mountainous steppe and shrubland site in northern Mongolia. Environ Earth Sci 73(2):593–609. doi:10.1007/s12665-014-3335-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MoMo Consortium (2009) Integrated water resources management for Central Asia: model region Mongolia (MoMo). Case study in the Kharaa River Basin. Final project report

    Google Scholar 

  • National statistic office of Mongolia (2010) 2010 Population and housing census, Ulaanbaatar

    Google Scholar 

  • Priess J, Schwarz N, Lautenbach S (2010) Feedbacks in socioenvironmental land systems. In: Swayne DA, Wanhong Y, Voinov Y et al (2010) Proceedings of the international environmental modelling and software society (iEMSs) 2010 International congress on environmental modelling and software modelling for environment’s Sake

    Google Scholar 

  • Rost G, Londong J, Dietze S, Osor G (2015) Integrated urban water management—an adapted management approach for planning and implementing measures: case study area Darkhan, Kharaa catchment, Mongolia. Environ Earth Sci 73(2):709–718. doi:10.1007/s12665-014-3701-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sandmann R (2012) Gier nach Bodenschätzen und Folgen für die Mongolei. Geographische Rundschau 64(12):26–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Scharaw B, Dietze S (2010) Model supported design and operation of a wastewater treatment pilot plant. In: Proceedings of the 55th international scientific colloquium, Ilmenau, Germany, pp. 57-61 (13–17 September 2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • Scharaw B, Westerhoff, T (2011) A leak detection in drinking water distribution network of Darkhan in framework of the project integrated water resources management in Central Asia, model region Mongolia. In: Gurinovich AD (ed) (2011) Proceedings of the IWA 1st Central Asian regional young and senior water professionals conference, Almaty/Kazakhstan, pp. 275–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuster C (2012) Technische Entwicklung und ökonomischer Vergleich angepasster, leitungsungebundener Sanitärsysteme mit integrierter Abfallentsorgung für Jurten-Siedlungen in der Stadt Darkhan, Mongolei. Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Weimar

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweitzer C (2012) Modelling land-use and land-cover change and related environmental impact in Northern Mongolia. Dissertation. Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweitzer C, Priess J (2010) Linking wildfire behaviour and landuse modelling in Northern Mongolia. In: Swayne D, Wanhong Y, Voinov A et al. (2010) Proceedings of the international environmental modelling and software society (iEMSs) 2010 international congress on environmental modelling and software modelling for environment’s Sake. http://www.iemss.org/iemss2010/proceedings.html. Accessed 01 Dec 2014

  • Sigel K (2012) Urban water supply and sanitation in Mongolia: A description of the political, legal, and institutional framework. Leipzig: UFZ Discussion Paper. http://www.ufz.de/export/data/global/31881_1%202012_Sigel_Urban%20Water%20Supply%20Mongolia_gesamt_internet.pdf. Accessed 01 Dec 2014

  • Sigel K, Altantuul K, Basandorj D (2012) Household needs and demand for improved water supply and sanitation in peri-urban ger areas: the case of Darkhan, Mongolia. Environ Earth Sci 65(5):1561–1566. doi:10.1007/s12665-011-1221-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sigel K, Stäudel J, Londong J (2014) Experiences with stakeholder involvement in strategic sanitation planning: a case study of the city of Darkhan, Mongolia. Water Sci Technol: Water Supply 14(3):504–512

    Google Scholar 

  • Stäudel J, Ganbaatar K, Bruski J, Londong J (2012) The iPiT as part of an integrated sanitation system in Darkhan, Mongolia. Poster session, 2012 at WaSH conference organised by ACF on the 29th, 30th of March in Chinggis hotel in Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia. www.ipit.eu

  • Taraschewski T (2012) Ulaanbaatar: Sozialräumliche Segregation und Migration. Geographische Rundschau 64(12):42–49

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Environmental Programme (=UNEP) (2007) Fact-finding mission sodium cyanide and mercury pollution and mining related environmental emergencies in Mongolia. Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2009) Mongolia: assessment report on climate change 2009, Ulaanbaatar

    Google Scholar 

  • UNICEF & WHO (2008) Progress on drinking water and sanitation. Special focus on sanitation. Joint monitoring programme for water supply and sanitation. WHO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson V, Scharaw B (2012) Groundwater monitoring and modelling in the frame work of the project integrated water resources. In: Tserashchuk M (ed) (2012) Proceedings of the IWA young and senior water professionals conference St Petersburg 2012 Part I, pp 30–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallin M, Wiederholm T, Johnson R (2003) Guidance on establishing reference conditions and ecological status class boundaries for inland surface waters: final version 7.0. Produced by CIS working group 2.3—REFCOND. http://www.wrrl-info.de/docs/Guidance_Referenzbed_OFG.pdf. Accessed 09 Dec 2014

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for providing the project funding in the framework of the FONA (Research for Sustainable Development) initiative (grant no. 033L003). They acknowledge the support provided by the Project Administration Jülich (PTJ) and the BMBF/International Bureau in the context of the “Assistance for Implementation” (AIM) scheme and thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig/Magdeburg, Germany

    Daniel Karthe, Sonja Heldt, Ganbaatar Khurelbaatar, Chris Sullivan, Manfred van Afferden, Katja Sigel & Dietrich Borchardt

  2. Duisburg-Essen University, Essen, Germany

    Sonja Heldt

  3. Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Weimar, Germany

    Grit Rost, Jörg Londong, Jürgen Stäudel & Ganbaatar Khurelbaatar

  4. Bergmann Beton + Abwassertechnik GmbH, Penig, Germany

    Jens Ilian

  5. p2m berlin GmbH, Berlin, Germany

    Jörn Heppeler

  6. Fraunhofer Application Center for Systems Technology, Ilmenau, Germany

    Buren Scharaw, Thomas Westerhoff, Steffen Dietze & Vanessa Watson

  7. Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany

    Jürgen Hofmann

Authors
  1. Daniel Karthe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sonja Heldt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Grit Rost
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jörg Londong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jens Ilian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jörn Heppeler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Jürgen Stäudel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Ganbaatar Khurelbaatar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Chris Sullivan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Manfred van Afferden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Buren Scharaw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Thomas Westerhoff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Steffen Dietze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Katja Sigel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Jürgen Hofmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. Vanessa Watson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  17. Dietrich Borchardt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Karthe .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Helmholtz Centre Environmental Research, Magdeburg, Germany

    Dietrich Borchardt

  2. Center for Development Research - ZEF, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    Janos J. Bogardi

  3. Helmholtz Centre Environmental Research, Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany

    Ralf B. Ibisch

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Karthe, D. et al. (2016). Modular Concept for Municipal Water Management in the Kharaa River Basin, Mongolia. In: Borchardt, D., Bogardi, J., Ibisch, R. (eds) Integrated Water Resources Management: Concept, Research and Implementation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25071-7_25

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation