The official body responsible for all matters relating to water in Jordan, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation has one of the most fundamental and important tasks in the entire country. Tawfiq Al-Habashneh, Secretary General spoke with Endeavour regarding how the organisation approaches this vital role.

WRITTEN BY DON CAMPBELL

RUNNING WATER, THE KEYSTONE OF

CIVILISATION

www.littlegatepublishing.com

THE WATER AUTHORITY OF JORDANWWW.WAJ.GOV.JO00 962 6 5680100

THE WATER AUTHORITY OF JORDAN

Established in 1988 by an executive branch of the Government under the Jordanian Constitution, the MWI monitors the water sector, supply and wastewater systems across Jordan,

plans, instigates and manages related projects and also controls the formation of national water strategies and policies, R&D, information systems and the procurement of financial resources.

“The establishment of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation was in response to Jordan’s recognition of the need for a more integrated approach to national water management,” Tawfiq explains.

According to their website, since its establishment MWI has been supported by several donor organisation projects that have assisted in the development of water policy and water master planning as well as restructuring the water sector.

Seven directorates under the direction of the Assistant Secretary Generals for Finance and Administration and Technical Affairs as well as two units for Legal Affairs and Project Finances directly subordinate to the Secretary General fulfil the said functions. Units for public relations, internal monitoring and water security and protection are directly subordinate to the Minister of Water and Irrigation with responsibilities overarching MWI, WAJ and JVA.

Tawfiq explains that the Ministry of Water and Irrigation embraces the two most important entities dealing with water in Jordan, namely the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ): in charge of water and sewage systems and the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA): responsible for the socio-economic development of the Jordan Rift Valley, including water development and distribution of irrigation.

“This relative position with respect to WAJ & JVA reinforces MWI’s leading role as Jordan’s lead entity on water issues.” He says.

Thanks to its extensive Water Information System, MWI has become a leader in the region that uses GIS-based digital tools for Water Master Planning activities, offering the framework, databases and tools necessary to manage water data and providing water specialists with data and information for water sector monitoring, management and planning. MWI regularly produces essential water sector information products including the Water Master Plan.

HRH Prince Faisal Bin Al Hussein, Head of the Royal Commission for Water says, “The water scarcity in Jordan poses a serious challenge that will affect all sectors if not addressed with serious efforts. Water for Life is Jordan’s Water Strategy that sets the pace

THE WATER AUTHORITY OF JORDAN

The climate in Jordan is dry in summer with average temperatures in the mid 30°C and cool in winter averaging around 13°C. The western part of the country receives greater precipitation during the winter season from November to March and snowfall in Amman. The weather is humid from November to March and semi dry for the rest of the year. With hot, dry summers and cool winters, during which practically all of the precipitation occurs, the country has a Mediterranean-style climate. In general, the farther inland from the Mediterranean a given part of the country lies, the greater the seasonal contrasts in temperature and the less rainfall.

THE WATER AUTHORITY OF JORDAN

for our efforts for the years up to 2022.”This forms part of their strategy to achieve the vision for each of

the major areas of the Water Sector, it also establishes the actions required to achieve them. A sincere effort is required from all Jordanians to understand and join collectively to address the water issues and it is all the more important to consider their strategy and the subsequent action plans as one of the highest priorities to perform on the national level.

The Ministry of Water and Irrigation has the major role to lead this initiative, HRH Prince Faisal Bin Al Hussein adds, “I am confident that we have sufficient will and determination to succeed in achieving our goals.”

TARGETS AND VISIONThe water sector continues its distinctive steps through

submitting water and wastewater services to citizens despite all the challenges and obstacles that confront it. Although the water sector has been marked as the fourth poorest sector in water, where per capita doesn’t exceed 15% of the world water poverty line due to shortage of water resources and influx of refugees of different nationalities since 1948 until now which formed another challenge

to water sector, it has managed to maintain ratio of people served with water networks, which reaches not less than 98%.

“On the other hand,” Tawfiq says, “The ratio of people benefitting from wastewater projects has risen to reach more than 60% and is expected to show further increases.”

Jordan has approached this quandary armed with a water strategy that looks at sector priorities and drew the road map for this sector where work will be carried out in accordance with an investment plan that seeks to achieve the MWI vision for more than 10 years.

The vision involves a country of reliable, safe, drinkable water readily available to its people and its strategy to achieve this includes the management and protection of water resources.

“Citizens need to be aware of the importance of rationalisation of their water consumption” he says, “To instigate this we have applied water tariffs, implemented water loss management programmes and set about the application of new methods and new technologies to ensure the management and monitoring of the systems is as accurate as possible.”

Also, they have created a platform from which citizens can share decision making, discuss water issues and raise their level of

COMMITTED TO SERVING YOU

Amman, Alquds Street Building No 338P.O. Box 485 Amman 11118 Jordan

www.kettaneh.com

BRINGING PREMIUM BRANDS TO JORDAN SINCE 1948Atlas Copco • SIEMENS • Home Master • Linde

PROVIDING FIRST-CLASS SUPPORT THROUGH TRAINING CENTERS AND AFTER-MARKET TEAMS

THE WATER AUTHORITY OF JORDAN

awareness on the harmful impacts of illegal usage of water.“Water security is approached in a constructive manner that

is promoted and applied all over the kingdom to save water for various purposes.”

BENEFITS FOR FUTUREIt is worth mentioning that MWI has managed to benefit from

each drop of the conventional and unconventional water resources available and that treated wastewater is a main resource in all water budgets to be used directly or indirectly in irrigation in accordance with scientific criteria determined by FAO.

“Responsibility of water services is a critical issue that needs to benefit from all world experience related to this area,” Tawfiq explains, “A lot of water projects in this respect are under implementation, currently with values exceeding $500million such as the Millennium projects and rehabilitation of networks in addition to wastewater projects as in (Amman southern project), (karak and Adnaneyeh) (Shallaleh and northern Ghors).”

These water and wastewater projects are prepared to be financed from the GCC fund so as to improve provision of these services to citizens all over Jordan.

“The water scarcity in Jordan poses a serious challenge that will affect all sectors if not addressed with serious efforts. Water for Life is Jordan’s Water Strategy that sets the pace for our efforts for the years up to 2022.”