Jordan: Water supply in Zarqa Governorate to improve this week

ater supply in Zarqa Governorate will improve starting this week, as authorities operate new water resources, government officials said on Monday.

A total of 400 cubic metres of water per hour are being pumped from wells in Al Azraq to the governorate, a source at Zarqa Water Directorate told The Jordan Times.

“This additional amount will help ease the water shortage in Zarqa, which is over-populated, lacks water resources and suffers from a high rate of water loss — 50 per cent,” said the source, who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press.

Over one million people live in Zarqa and more than 52 per cent of the country’s industries are situated in the governorate, which lacks sufficient water sources and adequate wastewater services, according to officials, who said the shortage of water is hindering economic growth in the city.

Minister of Water and Irrigation Mohammad Najjar on Monday said that water networks in Zarqa Governorate’s Ruseifa District will be revamped in preparation for an increase in water supply by early next year.

“A total of 650 cubic metres of water per hour will be pumped to Ruseifa by February next year, when water from the Disi Water Conveyance Project reaches the capital,” Najjar said in statement issued by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

Currently, the additional amount of water is being extracted from wells in Ruseifa and pumped to Amman to meet its rising demand for water. When the Disi project starts pumping water to the capital, this water will be redirected to Ruseifa.

In addition, pumping from several water resources that were shut down due to violations will resume this week, according to Najjar, who highlighted that this will enhance water supply in Zarqa, 23 kilometres northeast of Amman.

“Zarqa and Ruseifa’s water share will increase because water resources that witnessed thefts and violations this year will re-open this week,” the minister underscored.

A total of 28 violations on the Kingdom’s main water networks were recorded by mid-May this year, Najjar said previously, underscoring that theft and vandalism of networks leave scores of households without water for weeks and cause the ministry to incur huge financial losses.

Fixing violations to the networks and water resources this year has cost the ministry JD105,300. Pumping from 50 resources remains suspended because additional funds, around JD300,000, are required to fix them, the minister noted.