Amman: The Yarmouk Water Company and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) signed Monday a $16.5 million support and cooperation agreement to reduce water losses, in the presence of the Minister of Water and Irrigation Muhammad Najjar.
Under the agreement, which was signed by the company’s Director General Hassan Hazaima and USAID’s Mission Director Sherry Carlin, water network development projects will be implemented in the company’s operation areas, which is the third phase of the Fixed Amount Reimbursement Agreement (FARA) projects to reduce water loss, with a $15 million contribution from the USAID, and $1.5 million contribution from the Yarmouk Water Company.
The agreement aims to reduce water losses mainly in the governorates of Irbid, Mafraq, Jerash and Ajloun over a period of four years by maintaining networks, improving billing efficiency, and strengthening the capabilities of technical personnel in the field of project management in line with strategic visions to reduce losses.
Najjar indicated that the implementation of the third phase will save about 3 million cubic meters annually, thus improving the water supply, pointing to a national plan set in place to reduce waste at a rate of 1-2 percent annually to reach 25 percent by 2040.
He hailed the effective partnership with the USAID and its ongoing support for the water sector to achieve its goals and aspirations, in addition to enabling the sector to address various challenges.
For his part, Hazaima lauded the agency’s support in strengthening the company’s efforts to reduce water losses, especially raising the efficiency of water networks and resources, improving their management, curbing illegal water uses, and switching to the monthly meter reading system currently in force.
Source: Jordan News Agency