Amman, Feb. 17 -- The Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) opened a workshop on Tuesday to review baseline assessment findings for a planned water resource redistribution scheme in the Jordan Valley, as the Kingdom prepares to accommodate additional volumes of treated wastewater expected with the launch of the National Water Carrier Project.

The National Water Carrier Project is a major water-security initiative to desalinate Red Sea water in Aqaba and pump it north to Amman and other areas, aiming to add up to 300M cubic meters of drinking water per year and ease pressure on depleted aquifers.

According to a JVA statement, Secretary General Hisham Hisa stressed the need for tighter inter-agency coordination and higher-efficiency water resource management in the Jordan Valley, a major agricultural area that relies on a blend of freshwater and treated water.

He said the objective is to optimize allocation, strengthen water sustainability, and enhance readiness to receive increased treated-water output once the National Carrier becomes operational.

The JVA has commissioned Orient Engineering Consultancy to develop the Jordan Valley water redistribution plan. Workshop sessions discussed baseline assessment results to support more efficient and equitable management and to prepare infrastructure and operational arrangements for the anticipated increase in treated-water volumes tied to the National Carrier Project.

Frank O’Brien, chief of party for USAID’s Water Efficiency and Conservation Activity, said Jordan faces a widening supply-demand gap driven by structural scarcity, population growth, and climate change. He said the National Carrier Project is expected to transform treated-water reuse systems as volumes rise after 2030.

O’Brien underscored the need for JVA readiness in infrastructure, blending and conveyance systems, and operational frameworks to maximize the benefits of these additional volumes, particularly in support of agriculture and food security.

//Petra// AO