Mongolia's New Central Wastewater Treatment Plant
Background and Development
The initial feasibility study for establishing the wastewater treatment plant was conducted in 2015, marking the first formal step toward addressing Mongolia’s growing urban water challenges. Following several years of planning, the construction of the facility was formally announced on 2 February 2019. Just weeks later, on 28 February 2019, an official groundbreaking ceremony was held, led by then–Prime Minister Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, signaling the country’s strong political commitment to modernizing its water infrastructure.
Construction progressed through multiple phases. A key milestone occurred on 31 March 2022, when concrete pouring began for the inner walls of three major reaction tanks, central to the plant’s treatment process. By July 2025, the facility successfully received its first trial inflow of wastewater, a crucial step in testing and calibrating the system ahead of full-scale operations.
Architecture and Infrastructure
The wastewater treatment plant is being developed on a site covering approximately 17.7 hectares, making it one of the largest infrastructure projects of its kind in Mongolia. The site includes 35 individual buildings, ranging from treatment halls and pump stations to administrative and laboratory facilities.
In addition to the core treatment units, the facility also houses:
Pre-treatment facilities for screening and grit removal.
Primary and secondary sedimentation tanks.
Advanced biological treatment units for organic load reduction.
Sludge digestion and dewatering facilities.
On-site laboratories for continuous monitoring of water quality.
Control centers with automated SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems for real-time operation and monitoring.
The architectural design emphasizes efficiency, safety, and scalability, ensuring the plant can adapt to Mongolia’s evolving water management needs.
Technical Specifications
Upon completion, the facility will feature a treatment capacity of 250,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day, equivalent to serving more than 1 million urban residents.
Key features include:
Biological nutrient removal (BNR) technology to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loads.
Odor control systems to minimize environmental impact on surrounding communities.
Energy-efficient aeration systems to reduce operational costs.
Sludge-to-energy conversion units, designed to produce biogas from digested sludge, contributing to renewable energy generation.
Expected effluent quality will comply with World Health Organization (WHO) and Mongolian national water discharge standards, allowing treated water to be safely reused or discharged into natural water bodies.