The Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, together with international partners and representatives of Japanese businesses, is beginning preparations to implement a project for deploying mobile water purification systems. This was discussed during a meeting between Deputy Minister Maryna Denysiuk and a delegation of Japanese technology companies, along with representatives of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The primary goal of the initiative is to ensure access to safe drinking water in de-occupied, frontline, and rural communities, where centralized water supply systems require restoration and modernization, water sources are contaminated or do not meet regulatory standards, or where infrastructure has been physically destroyed or heavily damaged as a result of Russia’s armed aggression.
The Ministry has received over 230 applications for the installation of 267 mobile water purification units of various capacities during a preliminary assessment of needs and interest.
"Providing the population with clean water is not only a matter of infrastructure restoration but also a critical element of life support and fulfilling our obligations. Today, as the energy system faces constant attacks and water supply facilities are forced to switch to autonomous power sources, decentralized mobile solutions are becoming the foundation of our resilience," said Deputy Minister Maryna Denysiuk.
The Japanese side presented a unique Mobile Siphon Tank technology, already successfully used in Japan for water purification in disaster recovery. The system uses siphon tanks filled with a multilayer filter composed of anthracite and sand, providing ultrafine filtration and high purification efficiency.
Thanks to this Japanese purification technology, the system can bring water from surface sources up to drinking water standards. Key advantages include autonomy, mobility, and ease of use. The units can be quickly deployed on-site and relocated as needed, while a self-cleaning sand filter technology ensures years of operation without the need to replace the filter media.
"We view this project not as a standalone technical assistance initiative but as part of a strategic institutional bridge between Ukrainian communities and leading Japanese corporations. Our joint goal with UNIDO and JICA is not only to provide equipment but to create a technological hub in Ukraine that will support and develop these solutions for the long term," emphasized Maryna Denysiuk.
Currently, the stage of preparing a feasibility study is underway in cooperation with UNIDO. The Ministry, together with Japanese engineers, is already selecting priority locations for pilot projects, taking into account security conditions and the critical need for drinking water in communities.
This cooperation is being implemented within the framework of the Japan–Ukraine strategic partnership, formed under the "Project for Green Industrial Recovery of Ukraine through Technology Transfer and Creation of New Enterprises in Collaboration with Japanese Private Companies," with financial support from the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry of Japan (METI) and the JUPITeR platform, involving UNIDO, JICA, and the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.
