Jordan is among the most water-poor countries in the world. Amman, the Kingdom’s capital, has more than 3 million residents who badly need water for sanitation and hygiene. At the same time, outside the city, there is not enough water to irrigate some 10,000 hectares devoted to food production. The country’s water infrastructure is aging and groundwater levels are declining, which also means an increase in salinity.
USAID Jordan has been taking an integrated approach to these issues with a key success being the USAID/Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). As-Samra WWTP now provides 10 percent of Jordan’s agricultural water in the form of reused, highly-treated wastewater. This approach addresses the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs of the city, while still providing the water needed for crops in the surrounding area and the Jordan River Valley. By using this wastewater for irrigation, Jordan is able to conserve its precious freshwater resources for drinking water.
Click here to read the full article in USAID's Global Waters magazine.
