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National wastewater master plan launched

By Hana Namrouqa - Feb 20,2014 - Last updated at Feb 20,2014

AMMAN — Jordan’s first wastewater master plan was launched on Thursday to help the government determine investment priorities in wastewater services across the country through the year 2035.

The National Strategic Wastewater Master Plan identifies investment needs and priorities for wastewater collection and treatment in every governorate to enable the Ministry of Water and Irrigation to better direct donor and government resources to areas with limited wastewater services or overloaded capacities.

Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) Secretary General Tawfik Habashneh said at the launch of the master plan that the water sector faces unprecedented challenges that have worsened dramatically with the Syrian refugee crisis.

“This master plan is very important because it takes our national policy goal to provide wastewater services to all areas with more than 5,000 residents and turns it into an action plan for investment, development and donor support through 2035,” Habashneh said.

He added that the water and wastewater sectors are under increasing pressure due to a massive population growth, high energy costs and climate change impacts, among other challenges.

“It is the first time that WAJ has an accurate and up-to-date map for wastewater information using Geographic Information Systems tools. Based on the findings, the authority intends to draw up its plan to develop priority projects,” Habashneh underscored.

The USAID-funded Jordan Institutional Support and Strengthening Programme prepared the plan upon a request from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. 

The plan indicates that although the country has 27 operating wastewater facilities owned by WAJ and a tremendous number of studies on wastewater treatment and reuse, no such strategic master plan has even been prepared at the national level.

Melissa Knight, director of the water and environment office at USAID mission, said the agency is pleased that the master plan will be used as an important tool for Jordan’s water sector policy makers as well as the donor community.

“… This allows new projects to save months of time in the planning stage,” Knight said during the launch of the master plan.

The four-year USAID Institutional Support and Strengthening Project works with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and water utilities in the Kingdom to support improved planning, management and implementation of water sector activities.

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