Almaty’s snow will now be melted down at the factory.

“For the first time in Kazakhstan, an innovative snow melting technology is being implemented using the heat from wastewater. The melted water is filtered to remove sand and debris before being discharged into the city sewer system,” the local administration describes the plant's operation.

The utility workers were able to test the new plant after heavy precipitation on January 8. Over the course of two days, 15,200 cubic meters of snow were removed from the streets of the metropolis.