The Minister of Water and Irrigation H.E. Dr. Hazem Nasser and U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, Stuart Jones, on Monday, 31 March 2014 witnessed the launch of the construction of the $93 million Water Network Project. The U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), funded the project, which will help transform Zarqa Governorate’s water network. By laying approximately 800 kilometers of new pipe – along with other MCC -funded infrastructure investments -- this will dramatically reduce water leakage and allow Zarqa Governorate to deliver water more efficiently to its people.
The funding is part of MCC’s $275 million grant to the Government of Jordan to help reduce poverty through economic growth by implementing development projects in Zarqa Governorate. These projects are managed through the Millennium Challenge Account-Jordan (MCA-Jordan), a company established and owned by the Government of Jordan to manage the grant.
“At present, an estimated 50 percent of the potable water supply in Jordan’s Zarqa Governorate is lost through leaks in the water transmission and distribution network in addition to other causes. The Water Network Project will be implemented to decrease non-revenue water, and increase the quantities of water supply. This will reduce the financial burden on Zarqa Governorate consumers by decreasing the purchase of additional water from external resources such as water tankers and bottled water,” MCA-Jordan CEO Eng. Kamal Zoubi noted at the groundbreaking.
U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, Stuart Jones, noted that he was proud of the U.S. – Jordan partnership and that the project would, “help the people of Zarqa enjoy happier, healthier, and more productive lives.”
Four construction firms are involved with the Water Network Project. They are: Haymoor Cousins & Partner Co. and Al-Omaria Contracting Co. JV; the Mango Tree Construction Co Ltd; Hussien Attieh and Sons; and Farhan and Fouad Abu Hamdan for Engineering and Contracting Co. The program management is being overseen by the US Firm Hazen and Sawyer, P.C. in Joint Venture with Dar Al- Omran Infrastructure and Environment.
Zoubi noted that the Water Network Project will offer around 800 direct employment opportunities.
In addition to the Water Network Project, MCC is funding two of their major water projects: 1) the expansion of As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), which treats 70% of Jordan’s wastewater water -- producing clean treated water for irrigation and 2) the Wastewater Network Project, providing over 170 km of new sewage pipes for the Zarqa Governorate water utility.
The three MCC funded projects formulate a complete water cycle for Jordan; the Water Network Project will increase the supply of water to the citizens of the Zarqa Governorate, the used wastewater is then channeled through the expanded Wastewater Network Project, and finally, the wastewater is treated through the As-Samra plant providing more water for reuse and irrigation in the Jordan Valley.