Government Communication Forum discusses water sector state

Amman: The Ministry of Government Communications hosted Tuesday the fourth meeting of the Government Communication Forum titled "The Water Sector: State and Challenges," with participation from Minister of Government Communications and Government Spokesperson Muhannad Mubaidin and Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Al-Saud. Mubaideen said that Jordan, led by His Majesty King Abdullah, continues to organize a global position for a ceasefire in Gaza, preventing Gazans from being displaced, and delivering relief and humanitarian aid to the Strip. Mubaideen said that the Ministry continues to hold meetings of the Government Communication Forum, which brings together officials and media outlets, to discuss vital sectors and review their key achievements and challenges. According to Abu Al-Saud, Jordan is experiencing major water scarcity, with a deficit of approximately 400 million cubic meters due to several reasons, including a decrease in water resources since there are 1,115 million cubic meters of water availab le overall from all sources, of which 510 million are used for municipal purposes, 570 million for agricultural and animal purposes, and approximately 35 million are used for industrial purposes. Regarding key financial and administrative challenges, Abu Al-Saud noted that the Ministry's deficit for 2024 is JD350 million, with total expenditures of JD807 million after financing, while the Water Authority's deficit is JD331 million. He cited the high expenses of maintenance and operation, such as JD1.93 per cubic meter of water, including JD1.40 for operation, and 93 fils per cubic meter of electricity, as well as challenges relating to a lack of technical and administrative personnel. He explained that one of the solutions the ministry is working on is projects to improve energy efficiency totaling JD20.518 million, as the energy expense for the water sector accounts for around 50 percent of operating and maintenance expenditures. The cost of electricity has risen from JD53 million in 2010 to JD179 million in 2021, a 150 percent increase that is equivalent to the value of revenues from water and sanitation service bills in general, affecting the water sector as a whole, which faces an annual deficit of JD200 to JD300 million. Regarding the national carrier project, Abu Al-Saud stated that the technical and financial offers were received at the end of the year and that a specialized committee examined them both technically and financially. He anticipated that work on the project would start in 2029. The key aspect addressed in the National Water Sector Strategy 2023 and 2040 is working to reduce water losses by 2 percent annually, water sector governance, institutionalizing water company independence, achieving integrated water resource management, improving financial performance, achieving sustainability, developing techniques and technologies, and increasing energy efficiency, Abu Al-Saud concluded. Source: Jordan News Agency