Thursday, September 5, 2024, EDAMA Association for Energy, Water, and Environment, in collaboration with Arab fertilizers and chemicals Industries (Kemapco), hosted a Power Breakfast event in Amman titled “National Water Carrier Project: Enhancing Water Security.” The event was attended by a selected group of public and private sector representatives, headed by the Honorable Minister of Water and Irrigation, Engineer Raed Abu AlSaud.
In his welcoming speech, Dr. Duraid Mahasneh, Chairman of EDAMA, emphasized the importance of the National Water Carrier Project in enhancing water security in Jordan. He highlighted water scarcity as the Kingdom’s top challenge and stressed the need for public-private collaboration to ensure the project’s success and sustainability.
For his part, Minister Raed Abu Saud delivered a detailed presentation on the water sector in Jordan, highlighting the issue of water scarcity in the country, with Jordan being one of the most water-scarce countries in the world.
Minister Abu Saud underscored the significance of the National Water Carrier Project in line with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, describing it as a crucial solution to address the country’s water scarcity. He explained that the project is the third largest of its kind in the region and will provide 300 million cubic meters of potable water.
The Minister also stressed the positive impact this project will have on various sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and the economy in general.
He further explained that the Ministry is working intensively to reduce water loss by 2% annually, achieving an overall reduction of 7.5% over the past two years.
During the discussion session, Minister Abu Saud responded to questions from the audience regarding the project’s implementation, duration, sustainability, the role of renewable energy in it, and its environmental impact. He emphasized that the project is vital at this stage, as it will play a significant role in meeting Jordan’s water needs across various sectors.
The Minister clarified that the economic feasibility of the project lies in the increase in available potable water, which will benefit the agricultural sector. He also mentioned that the project’s expected lifespan is 30 years and stressed the need to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure its long-term sustainability.
It is worth noting that the Power Breakfast is a series of events organized by EDAMA, aimed at fostering discussions between the public and private sectors to build partnerships that benefit society and promote the green economy.
