Jordan Times
Friday, September 1, 2006

Start of Red-Dead water project to be announced next month

AMMAN (Petra) — Representatives from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, donor countries and the World Bank who will convene here next month will announce the start of a $15.5 million feasibility study and environmental and social assessment for the Red-Dead Water Conveyance Project, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The project would help reverse the decrease in the water level of the Dead Sea. The canal, to be built along the border with Israel in Wadi Araba, would be used to generate electricity as the water will rise to 170 metres above sea level, then drop to 400 metres below sea level. The project entails the establishment of a hydroelectric power generation plant and a desalination plant, which will provide the country with 850 million cubic metres (mcm) of potable water, said a ministry official, noting that the annual water deficit in the country stands at 500mcm.