Head of the Senate’s Agriculture and Water Committee, Akef Zoubi, on Wednesday called for establishing a Red Sea water desalination plant.
Speaking at a meeting with water expert, Sa’ad Abu Hammour, to discuss Jordan’s water situation, Zoubi went over solutions and alternatives to overcome the water crisis, foremost is a proposal to establish a Red Sea water desalination plant, cost per cubic meter globally, and project cost estimates.
Jordan, he said, is a “semi-arid” country and does not have many water sources, adding that water demand is “constantly” increasing, especially in the capital Amman and the major governorates, adding that the “best” solution to maintain water security in Jordan is to desalinate the Red Sea water.
Abu Hammour, for his part, said solutions to Jordan’s water crisis are “uneasy,” which surfaced a “long time ago.”
Climate change, reliance on rain water, weak seasonal downpour and the limited water resources are the reasons behind this crisis, he said, calling for launching an independent supreme national authority to manage Jordan’s water resources.
The cost of the seawater desalination project is estimated at about $2.5 to 3 billion to treat 300 million cubic meters per year, according Abu Hammour.
Abu Hammour also stressed the importance of working to reduce water loss at the national level, as it represents a “quick” solution to the water crisis in the short and medium term.
Incentive contracts should be concluded with specialized companies in this water loss management field, he said, noting that 1% reduction of the current drinking water loss provides 1 million cubic meters as a new water source, which saves an amount of JD2 million at an operational and capital cost.
Source: Jordan News Agency