Senate Committee Reviews Progress on National Carrier Project

Amman: The Senate's Agriculture and Water Committee, chaired by Akef Zoubi, convened Tuesday to discuss the latest developments in the National Carrier Project. The meeting was attended by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Jihad Mahamid, and the Director of the National Carrier Project, Issa War. Zoubi highlighted the urgency of addressing the project in light of Jordan's water scarcity, emphasizing the need to explore new water sources, including deep water, and to leverage previous experiences in this search. He underscored the importance of continuous communication and dialogue regarding all project developments, particularly change orders and the cost per cubic meter. Mahamid described the National Carrier Project as a strategic initiative, crucial given the fixed nature of traditional water sources and the increasing population pressure, noting the ministry's efforts in water management, which include expanding network rehabilitation to reduce water loss, using modern irr igation methods to cut water consumption, and drilling new wells and constructing dams. Mahamid also mentioned the high cost of extracting deep water and the unsustainable nature of some water sources in wells, despite the availability of deep water reserves. War added that the technical committee is currently reviewing the financial proposal for the project, underlining that the project's goal is to provide sustainable water resources and reduce water loss. The chosen company, he pointed out, will implement the project with lower operational costs by using alternative energy and measures to protect the marine environment, noting that the project is supported by joint financing, including grants and loans. Source: Jordan News Agency