Korean bank to partly fund project to improve south Amman water services

AMMAN — The government on Sunday signed a $48.5 million (over JD34 million) agreement with a Korean company and a local contractor from the Arab Towers Contracting Company, to continue implementing a project to improve water and sewage services in south Amman.

Out of the total amount, $46 million is funded by the Export-Import Bank of Korea, while the rest is covered by the Treasury, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Water Minister Hazem Nasser signed the agreement in the presence of Korean Ambassador to Jordan Lee Bom-yon, and Water Authority of Jordan Secretary General Tawfiq Habashneh.

Nasser said the government seeks to implement the “vital national project” to serve the southern areas of the capital and build a wastewater plant in order to “end the suffering caused by the lack of sewage services”. 

He said his ministry has a comprehensive national plan to include most areas in the sewage services and until 2020 in order to boost the level of environmental life and protect it around the Kingdom. 

The water minister expects the project to serve more than 188,000 residents, 60,000 of whom are in Naour, Um Quttain, Manshiyeh, Zboud, Bassa, Amireyeh and part of Marj Al Hamam, while the rest are spread in Wadi Seer, Iraq Al Amir and other areas in southwest Amman. 

He said that in the first two stages of the project, networks with 768km-long pipes were installed.