Bring the People to Disi Aquifer, not water to the city
Arab Environment Monitor
Thursday, January 18, 2007
This is a very important article written by Dr. Dureid Mahasneh one of Jordan
main water experts on the proposed project to bring water from the fossil
aquifer of Disi to meet the domestic water demands in Amman. He requests
another approach of bringing the people to the south of Jordan and establishing
development activities supported by the Disi aquifer.
The article was published in Jordan Business magazine and here is the full text:
Two important announcements were made last month: the start of an environmental
and feasibility study for the Red-Dead Canal project, and the government’s
disclosure that investors submitted bids for the Disi water project. Dr. Dureid
Mahsaneh explains the significance of both
Priority has been given to both projects, but the Disi project, which will be
executed on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis and will bring 100
million cubic meters (mcm) of fresh water per year to Amman, has been
fast-tracked.
The water will flow through a pipeline from the fossil aquifer on Jordan’s
border with Saudi Arabia to Amman, a distance of some 325 kilometers, at an
estimated cost of $600 million. In the past, this project was considered too
expensive to execute and was kept on the back burner.
Over-pumping and drilling of underground aquifers has almost depleted all
subterranean resources. Even Disi, a non-renewable resource, is facing
over-exploitation.
Rainfall has been scarce this year and the main source of water for Jordan, the
Yarmouk River, is at record low. Dams throughout the country are almost empty
and the new Wehdeh dam under construction at the Yarmouk River, has no hope of
getting filled when completed this winter.
This dam, which was originally designed with a capacity of 300 mcm, has now been
built to only hold 80 mcm. Unless violations on the Yarmouk water aquifer are
stopped and the Syrian-Jordanian Water Agreement of 1987 is respected, there
will not be enough water to flow in the Yarmouk River or fill the Wehdeh Dam.
In fact, even if Syria did honor its commitments, it would still not be enough
to supply increasing demand. Jordan needs over 1.5 billion cubic meters a year,
leaving a 450 mcm per year shortfall.
Poor management of water resources, in particular by the agriculture sector, and
water loss through theft or misuse have compounded the crisis. Therefore, the
government has been left with little choice but to explore the Disi option
again.
Execution of the project has been met with objections from some
environmentalists and potential financial backers, including the World Bank and
donor countries like the U.S. and Europe. The government’s ideal scenario is
that water will arrive in Amman for less than $0.60 per meter. However,
expectations are that the price would not be less than $0.85 per meter. Why is
it so expensive? Pumping water to Amman, which lies at an altitude of 500
meters and a distance of almost 300 kilometers from Disi, added to the price of
energy, pumps, and pipes, makes this a very costly endeavor.
The multi-million dollar project will take more than five years to complete. The
aquifer will be depleted in about 50 years - if agricultural use is stopped
immediately. Already around 60 mcm of the Disi water are being used annually
for agriculture by four privately-owned farms almost free of charge, under a
25-year concession agreement granted by the government in 1985. Another 18 mcm
are extracted from the aquifer for domestic use for the port city of Aqaba.
By the time the project comes to a close, the 100 mcm supply made available by
Disi will not meet the increased demand. It is also absurd to spend $600
million on a project when stopping illegal underground water drilling would
make available larger quantities of water than those from Disi. It is time to
begin managing our water resources properly. Produce that requires a large
amount of water, and irrigated agriculture in the northern and eastern parts of
the country using the Yarmouk water aquifer, should stop. Jordan cannot afford
to keep exporting precious water for tomatoes and watermelons to other
countries while the tap is running dry for drinking and household purposes.
Heavily subsidized water tariffs also need to be reviewed and corrected.
Our strategy, or the lack of it, for combating the water shortage is the main
problem. Since the establishment of the country, we have been bringing water to
the people from all parts of the country, especially major cities like Amman,
Zarqa and Irbid, regardless of the cost. We kept enlarging big cities to an
extent where their infrastructure is becoming a burden to our economy. Amman,
for example, is dependant on its water for resources from the Jordan Valley,
Azraq and Kerak.
It would be more economically feasible to ask people to head south and play a
role in the development of new regions than keep expanding cities.
If we believe in regional planning and equal opportunities for people all over
Jordan, then we should stop spreading pipes and replace them by people. We need
drastic measures and actions in water resource management and not short-term
remedies, which only increase our debts and consume our revenues.
Dr. Mahsaneh is the former co-chairman of the Jordan-Israel Water Coordination
Committee.