Jordan Times
Tuesday, October 9, 2001
Ramtha water treatment plant to be upgraded, capabilities will be tripled
By Oula Al Farawati
AMMAN — The Water Ministry and a joint French-Jordanian construction venture on Monday signed an agreement for the expansion and upgrade of the Ramtha Wastewater Treatment Plant.According to Water Minister Hazem Nasser, the treatment plant has been working over capacity. This, he said, has caused air pollution and endangered the nearby Yarmouk River, especially when it floods.
Upon the completion of the JD6.4 million plan, the plant's treatment capacity will increase from 5,400 cubic metres of wastewater to 16,200 cubic metres per day.
“Around 60 per cent of Ramtha residents are currently connected to the sewage system — the treatment plant will connect them all,” Nasser told reporters on the sidelines of the signing ceremony.
The new treatment plant, added Nasser, is expected to solve the malodorous problem, provide protection for the Yarmouk River and improve the quality of treated water.
“The treated water will be used for all kinds of irrigated crops, in contrast to its prior limited agricultural use,” he said.
The joint venture includes the French Vivendi Water OTV and the local Concorde Construction.
Sixty-three per cent of the project will be funded in the form of a soft loan by the French government, and the remaining 37 per cent will be supplied by the Water Authority.
Meanwhile, Nasser announced that 25 companies have so far purchased tender documents for the prequalifying tender of the Disi Water Conveyance Project.
The ministry last week extended the deadline for submitting bids from Oct. 23 to Dec. 3 to allow more companies to bid for the $600 million which will be carried out on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.