Project to promote better water consumption habits in Zarqa

AMMAN — The Millennium Challenge Account — Jordan (MCA-Jordan) on Monday launched a new project to improve household water systems and decrease domestic water costs in Zarqa Governorate.

The Water Smart Homes project’s first phase includes an outreach campaign to raise awareness and encourage the public to manage water consumption efficiently, while the second phase will improve water and wastewater systems at the homes of National Aid Fund beneficiaries in Zarqa, some 22km east of Amman.

“The outreach campaign of the Water Smart Homes will tackle the public’s incorrect perceptions of water and wastewater services in Zarqa to eventually reinstate their trust in the quality of water and wastewater systems,” MCA-Jordan CEO Kamal Zoubi said at a press conference.

The project's funding is covered under the $275-million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).   

The grant also covers the rehabilitation and expansion of the wastewater network, the rehabilitation and restructuring of water networks and the expansion of the Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Briefing the media on the progress of the three ventures, Zoubi said 45 per cent of the rehabilitation and expansion of the wastewater network project has been completed, noting that around 85 kilometres out of the designed 187 kilometres of sewage pipes, was finished by the end of January 2014.

“MCA-Jordan will hand over part of the project to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in March,” Zoubi said, underscoring that the construction work is in line with the MCC’s rigorous environment, social, and gender regulations and policies.

Meanwhile, five out of six tenders have been awarded to implement the rehabilitation and restructuring of water networks project, he said, adding that contractors have already started with the project’s infrastructure work.

Water loss in Zarqa is expected to drop from the current 50 per cent to less than 35 per cent, while water supply will increase from 36 to 70 hours per week once the project is completed, according to MCA-Jordan.

Zoubi said total progress at the Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant has reached 60 per cent, while 50 per cent of the project’s infrastructure has been completed.

Once the expansion is completed, the plant will become one of the largest wastewater treatment plants in the Middle East and North Africa, as it is projected to treat over 70 per cent of wastewater generated in the country, according to MCA-Jordan.

The plant currently treats 60 million cubic metres (mcm) of wastewater, and the capacity will more than double to 133mcm after the expansion, according to the state-owned company.

MCC Resident Country Director Alex Russin said the MCA-Jordan programme is based on a partnership between the US and the government, noting that the project seeks to expand Zarqa residents' access to clean water and sanitation.

“We are very pleased with the commitment and progress, and it looks like all construction will be completed on time,” Russin said, noting that the US government’s assistance to the Kingdom’s water sector will continue.

MCA-Jordan was established in 2010 as a company fully owned by the government to manage and implement the MCC-funded programme.