Amman, July 6 (Petra) -- The Ministry of Water and Irrigation on Sunday signed agreements for projects under the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Reduction Program, in partnership with the U.S. government, to benefit nearly four million residents in northern and central Jordan at a total value of $39 million.

In a statement, Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Saud emphasized that efforts are focused on modernizing and upgrading water networks nationwide to reduce water losses, develop new networks, and improve the quality of services provided to citizens.

He noted that these agreements mark the fourth phase of the NRW Reduction Program, funded by the U.S. government, building on years of productive cooperation to strengthen water management and boost operational efficiency at Yarmouk Water Company, which serves the governorates of Irbid, Jerash, Mafraq, and Ajloun.

The $39 million agreement includes a $30 million grant from the U.S. government, with an additional $9 million contribution from the Water Authority. The projects will be implemented over four years, starting August 15 and running until December 14, 2029, benefiting more than 3.2 million residents and saving an estimated eight million cubic meters of water annually.

The program will also build staff capacity, upgrade IT infrastructure, and enhance operating systems, followed by improvement plans to ensure long-term performance sustainability. A comprehensive field survey will be conducted in the four governorates, with tasks such as meter reading, billing, monitoring illegal use, providing leak detection vehicles and equipment, and forming dedicated maintenance teams.

Additionally, Miyahuna Company signed a separate agreement under the U.S. grant to award a tender for rehabilitating three major pumping stations Mujib, Zarqa Ma’in, and Zara Ma’in to improve water supply efficiency for Amman and Zarqa. Valued at JD4 million, this project will enhance water services for more than one million citizens through advanced civil, mechanical, and electrical upgrades.

The works will include building flood protection walls, rehabilitating Mujib Dam’s main pumping line, installing high-efficiency pumps and automated valves, improving drainage, cleaning and upgrading internal systems, installing fully automated control systems, and connecting all three stations to the SCADA control center in Dabouq for better monitoring and rapid response.

These upgrades will help minimize Zara Ma’in shutdowns during winter turbidity events, ensure continuous operation, increase annual supply by at least one million cubic meters, and reduce maintenance costs by 15 percent.

This initiative is part of a series of NRW Reduction projects in their third phase, also funded by the U.S. government, including the Wadi Al-Seer Water Treatment Plant upgrade, awarded to Nasr Arshidat Company under Arabtech Jardaneh’s supervision at a cost of JD 2.5 million. This upgrade will raise the plant’s annual production capacity by 18 percent, equivalent to an extra one million cubic meters of water.

During the signing ceremony, representatives from the U.S. Embassy reaffirmed the strength of the Jordan-U.S. partnership in tackling water challenges through sustainable, long-term development projects.

They described the agreements as a new milestone in the ongoing U.S. support to bolster Jordan’s water infrastructure, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure service sustainability amid mounting challenges and limited resources.

//Petra// AO

06/07/2025 15:13:34