Fact Sheet

March 16, 2010 | www.mcc.gov

MCC’s Commitment to 

Clean Water, Sanitation and Improved 

Water Infrastructure

Water, sanitation and irrigated agriculture have frequently emerged as priorities among MCC partner countries as 

fundamental pillars to improving the livelihoods and wellbeing of the poor. Water and sanitation investments help 

reduce illness from water-borne diseases that tend to disproportionately affect women and girls’ livelihood and 

education. Irrigation investments support increased agricultural productivity and farmer incomes. Issues such as 

climate change and food security have added urgency to the need for clean, reliable water sources. MCC is therefore committed to supporting MCC partner countries’ priorities in water and sanitation as part of their efforts 

to sustainably reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth. MCC has invested approximately $528 million in 

water and sanitation projects in six Compact countries, in addition to approximately $769 million in irrigation and 

water management projects to support the agriculture sector in ten countries. 

MCC water and sanitation infrastructure investments include:

Mozambique

The largest component in Mozambique’s MCC Compact provides access to safe and reliable water supply 

and sanitation services thereby increasing productivity and reducing water-borne diseases. The $204 million project will supply water and sanitation services to six cities; water supply in two mid-sized towns; 

rehabilitation of a critical water supply dam; rural water supply services covering 600 water points in the two provinces; and capacity building of local institutions and policy development. MCC’s investments are part of a $240 

million multi-donor funding package that includes funds from MCC, the World Bank/International Development 

Association, the Africa Catalytic Growth Fund, and the Global Partnership on Output-based Aid. 

Lesotho 

Lesotho’s MCC Compact provides $164 million for a water sector project to improve the water supply for 

industrial and domestic use that will provide essential infrastructure to deliver water to local businesses. 
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The Compact will fund portions of the multi-donor funded Metolong Project, including a water treatment plant 

and downstream conveyance system serving Lesotho’s capital and other major cities in the lowlands. Domestic 

users in selected urban and rural areas will benefit from water system upgrades and expansions providing a reliable 

supply of water and better sanitation. The project will also enhance rural livelihoods through improved watershed 

management.

Tanzania

Tanzania’s MCC Compact dedicates $66 million to a water sector project designed to increase the quantity and reliability of potable water for domestic and commercial use. The project focuses on improving 

water supply infrastructure in two major cities (Dar es Salaam and Morogoro), and improving the system efficiencies of the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority. By increasing the volume of water supply, this project is 

expected to reduce the prevalence of water-related disease, to increase time available for productive activities such 

as education, and to promote greater investments in physical capital.

Georgia 

Georgia’s MCC Compact includes a Regional Infrastructure Development Project to provide approximately $58 million for regional and municipal physical infrastructure for water supply and sanitation. 

This project is designed to help targeted regions deliver safe, reliable, affordable and accessible public and 

utility services. At the time of Compact signing, it was estimated that more than half the water and sewage systems 

are beyond their service lives in target regions. 

El Salvador 

The rural water and sanitation activity, under the Human Development Project, is investing over $23 million to provide improved access to potable water systems and sanitation services. The MCC Compact in 

El Salvador is focused on the Northern Zone of the country, where an estimated 12 percent of the population (roughly 100,000 people) is not connected to water systems and over 20 percent (nearly 200,000 people) is 

without improved sanitation services (e.g., latrines).

Ghana 

Ghana’s MCC Compact includes a Rural Development Project designed to support priority investments 

identified by participating farm communities. Projects include approximately $13 million for improving 

access to potable water through the construction/rehabilitation of small town water systems and boreholes. MCC is partnering with the Carter Center to help eradicate guinea worm disease by extending an existing 

water urban system to infected farming areas in the Northern region. 
MCC’s Commitment to Clean Water, Sanitation and Improved Water Infrastructure , March 16, 2010 3

Jordan

MCC and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan entered into a pre-compact grant agreement that will provide approximately $13 million to finance feasibility studies, environmental and social 

assessments, and technical assistance to further develop project proposals. This preliminary agreement 

does not constitute a commitment to sign a Compact, but if approved by the MCC Board, the Jordan Compact is 

expected to have significant investments in water and sanitation. 

MCC agricultural projects that include irrigation and water resource management 

components include: 

Senegal

Senegal’s MCC Compact includes $170 million for the Irrigation and Water Resources Management 

Project. The project is designed to rehabilitate key components of the Senegal Valley’s main irrigation 

and drainage system, in order to increase reliability, eliminate the risk of abandonment of irrigable land, 

provide additional water for human and animal use, and improve crop yields, as well as develop newly irrigated 

lands.

Mali 

MCC’s Compact provides $154 million to improve irrigation systems to stimulate value-added agricultural production and economic growth, as well as providing support for latrines, wells, and education 

and treatment for water-borne diseases. 

Armenia 

Armenia’s MCC Compact provides $125 million to increase the area of land under irrigated production 

and to improve the overall efficiency of sourcing and delivering water to farmers. This support includes 

rehabilitating infrastructure and strengthening irrigation system entities, including water supply agencies and user 

associations. 

Morocco

The $105 million irrigation component of the Fruit Tree Productivity Project aims to stimulate growth 

in the agricultural sector and reduce volatility of agricultural production by rehabilitating existing olive 

orchards and expand production of fruit trees, move small farms from high water-use, low-value cereals to low 

water-use, high-value and drought resistant commercial fruit tree species, and support improvements to increase 

irrigation efficiency and productivity of olive and date trees. 
MCC’s Commitment to Clean Water, Sanitation and Improved Water Infrastructure , March 16, 2010 4

Burkina Faso 

Burkina Faso’s MCC Compact includes $91 million the Water Management and Irrigation Project 

Activity, which is designed to ensure adequate water availability, water delivery, flood control, and dam 

safety to support and protect investments in the Sourou Valley and Comoé Basin. The Water Management and 

Irrigation Project Activity is part of the larger Agricultural Development Project, which is designed to increase 

rural incomes and employment, and to enhance the competitiveness of the rural economy in the Sourou Valley and 

the Comoé Basin. The project will work to improve the market competitiveness of farmers.

Moldova 

Moldova’s recent MCC Compact includes $83 million for rehabilitation of up to 11 irrigation systems and 

irrigation sector reform activities under the Transition to High Value Agriculture Project. 

Additionally, in Ghana, Nicaragua, Cape Verde, and Honduras, MCC is providing an additional $40 million to 

support irrigation development and water management related to agriculture. To learn more about these projects, 

visit the country pages on our website at www.mcc.gov. 

To see MCC’s results to date in water, sanitation and irrigated agriculture projects, visit the results feature on 

MCC’s website at www.mcc.gov/mcc/results.