A ceremony was held on March 16 to mark the official opening and launch of operations of Mongolia’s first large-scale Wastewater Recycling Plant.

The plant was constructed next to the new Central Wastewater Treatment Plant as part of the “Wastewater Recycling Project,” one of the three main projects under the Mongolia Water Compact (Compact II) agreement between the Government of Mongolia and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of the United States.

In his opening remarks, President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa stated, “Today we gather here to witness a historic moment—the opening of Mongolia’s first large-scale Wastewater Recycling Plant, one of the two major infrastructure projects under the Water Compact, which symbolizes the strategic partnership between Mongolia and the United States. The commissioning of this plant represents the achievement of a major objective outlined in Mongolia’s National Security Concept, long-term development policies, and water policies in the Government's Action Plan, enabling our country to recycle wastewater and use it in energy production. This initiative not only represents the first-ever large-scale use of recycled water in Mongolia’s energy sector but also paves the way for other industries to reuse wastewater in the future. By doing so, we will conserve our groundwater resources for future generations.”

The Second Millennium Challenge Compact Agreement (Mongolia Water Compact) was signed on July 27, 2018. The program was funded by USD 350 million in grants from the U.S. government and USD 111.7 million from the Government of Mongolia.

The project aims to increase Ulaanbaatar’s water supply by up to 50 million cubic meters per year. Over the next 30 years, it will help provide stable and safe drinking and household water to more than 2.4 million residents of the city. It is also the largest investment in Mongolia’s water sector in the past 30 years.

As part of the “Wastewater Recycling Project,” Mongolia built its first large-scale wastewater recycling plant, along with 12 km of water transmission pipelines, a water storage tank, a booster pumping station, and related infrastructure. The plant will receive 50,000 cubic meters of treated wastewater per day – up to 18 million cubic meters annually- from the new Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, recycle it, and supply it for technical uses, including ash handling and cooling power operations, at Thermal Power Plants III and IV.

The plant was built with funding from the Government of Mongolia, with the dedication and expertise of Mongolian engineers and technical assistance from American experts.

The opening ceremony brought together high-level representatives from both countries, including the President of Mongolia, Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael G. DeSombre, Minister of Foreign Affairs Battsetseg Batmunkh, Minister of Finance and Chair of the Board of Millennium Challenge Account Mongolia Javkhlan Bold, Governor of the Capital City and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar, Nyambaatar Khishgee, as well as other senior officials from the Governments of Mongolia and the United States. Representatives from the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar, the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation, Millennium Challenge Account–Mongolia, the Ulaanbaatar Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (USUG), the project contractors, partner organizations, and other stakeholders were also present at the event.

Through the project, the use of recycled water will be introduced into the energy sector, which is the largest water user in Ulaanbaatar. This will help manage limited water resources more efficiently and strengthen the city’s ability to deal with future challenges such as urbanization and population concentration.

Recycling wastewater will also create a new source of water supply for Mongolia, help preserve underground water resources, and support the ecosystem of the Tuul River, bringing valuable environmental benefits. 

Published Date:2026-03-17