AKIPRESS.COM - President of Mongolia Ukhnaa Khurelsukh was joined today by Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) Acting Vice President of Compact Operations Cameron Alford and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink to break ground on a water recycling plant, the first of its kind in Mongolia, U.S. Embassy in Mongolia reported.

"I am proud to be here in this beautiful city with President Khurelsukh to advance critical water infrastructure and affirm the strong partnership between the United States and Mongolia. Ulaanbaatar is one of the world’s most water-scarce cities, and it is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This plant will contribute to providing a safe and sustainable supply of water to households and businesses, while also strengthening the capital city’s climate resilience and water security," Alford said.

In less than three decades, the population of Ulaanbaatar has nearly tripled in size, increasing the demand on the city’s water supply. The city now faces imminent water shortages that pose a significant threat to its residents and Mongolia’s economy.

The water recycling plant's construction will begin this month. The plant will help enhance Mongolia’s climate resilience and ensure a safe and sustainable supply of water to households and businesses in the capital city by freeing up 15 million cubic meters of fresh water per year for the people of Ulaanbaatar.

In 2018, the government of Mongolia and MCC signed a compact agreement to invest $462 million in total in the country’s water sector — $350 million from MCC and $111.8 million from the Mongolian government, one of the largest partner country contributions in the history of MCC. A significant portion of the Water Recycling Plant funding is made possible by the government of Mongolia. 

The compact will increase the available water supply in Ulaanbaatar by 80%. 

The new groundwater wells downstream of Ulaanbaatar and a state-of-the-art advanced water purification plant will be constructed to remove contaminants and ensure that drinking water is ready for widespread municipal use.

In addition, a new wastewater recycling plant and pipelines will be built to provide high-quality recycled water that can be used by industry.

The compact should also strengthen the Mongolian government’s capacity through technical assistance and the implementation of policy reforms that improve the long-term sustainability of Ulaanbaatar’s water supply.