Jordan Times
Monday, August 23, 2004
Reused wastewater to help
tackle shortage
By Sarah McGregor-Wood
AMMAN — The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Agriculture on Sunday launched the
second phase of a USAID-funded wastewater treatment project to help find
sustainable solution to lack of water resources.
Launched during a workshop in Amman, the new project, known as “Reuse in
Industry, Agriculture and Landscaping” (RIAL), follows on from an initial pilot
project begun in 2002.
Using a $3.5 million USAID grant, the Water Reuse Implementation Project (WRIP)
set up farms in Aqaba, Wadi Musa and at the Jordan University of Science and
Technology near Irbid, which were planted and irrigated with treated wastewater.
WRIP demonstrated that reclaimed water could be used safely, reliably and
sustainably.
Close monitoring showed the water posed no danger to human health, and harvests
from the farms were sold as animal fodder.
Despite being one of the 10 most water-deprived countries in the world, Jordan
faces increasing demands on its water supplies due to rapid population growth,
industrial expansion and outdated agricultural practices.
Experts suggest that reusing treated wastewater for agriculture could
effectively double Jordan's water supply at affordable costs.
The new $6.9 million RIAL project is set to run for three years and will be
working to create more successful examples of treated wastewater reuse projects
that can be replicated throughout the country.
As well as maintaining the three existing treatment sites, the Ministry of Water
and implementing company, US engineering firm Camp Dresser & McKee, are also
looking to add two new projects to the programme.
“They are looking for suitable initiatives that are ready to go now,” commented
a spokesman from the US embassy. “One potential site is a landscaping project in
the Amman area, where wastewater could be used for irrigation, as it is in Dubai
for example.”
“Jordan's 19 wastewater treatment plants generate more than 80 million cubic
metres of treated wastewater per year. This volume is significant and will play
an important role in meeting future demands for water in Jordan. The RIAL
project we are launching will help achieve social and economic sustainability of
reuse activities and to extend them into industry and landscaping,” stated USAID
acting mission director, Mike Harvey.
Although the programmes are still experimental, the success of the first phase
has been encouraging for those involved in the water sector, highlighting the
strategy's long-term viability. USAID is also funding a water treatment plant in
Khirbet Al Samra as well as a treatment and conveyance plant near the Dead Sea
to deal with saline water. Over the past seven years, US economic assistance to
Jordan's water sector has totalled $440 million.