Athena Infonomics is pleased to announce their win of an International Growth Centre grant to assess funding sources for expanding water supply services in Mandalay, Myanmar. The five-month study is in response to the Mandalay City Development Committee's (MCDC) call to extend and improve water services to its population—which currently lacks water and sewage treatment capacity, while facing exorbitant financial loses.

The study will build on existing support provided in the region by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), L'Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFDC) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), by looking at the demand for water service among six townships and the expectations among residents. It will also factor in the socio-economic challenges in the region, and examine the feasibility of additional mechanisms, like tariffs and taxation. The study will survey a sample of 1480 households and small businesses, and will also involve qualitative interviews with various stakeholders to understand water usage patterns in the region.

"We are excited to be working on a project that will directly inform and influence MCDC's policy decisions regarding its water service," said Ankit Chatri, Lead Consultant at Athena. "The data from this study will ultimately improve the everyday lives of Mandalay's residents."