Amman, July 21 (Petra) – The Ministry of Water and Irrigation/ Water Authority of Jordan said Tuesday that authorities dismantled a large-scale illegal water extraction network in Aqaba and arrested a suspect accused of stealing about 3,500 cubic meters of water per day for resale to factories, hotels, industrial facilities and vehicle wash businesses.
In a statement, the ministry said the operation followed several days of surveillance, intelligence gathering and investigation after disruptions to water supplies and irregular distribution were reported in parts of Aqaba, particularly the Mahdoud and Sixth Districts.
Authorities uncovered 19 major illegal connections to 8-inch and 16-inch main water transmission pipelines. The network was used to divert water over long distances to fill tanker trucks, which then supplied factories, hotels, companies and industrial facilities across Aqaba.
According to the ministry, the violations were traced to multiple sites in the Ma'amel, Shamiyah, Malqan and Industrial areas linked to an individual identified by the initials A.M.T.Y.
Investigators found an extensive network of 1-inch and 2-inch pipelines connected to 29 underground and metal storage tanks, each with capacities ranging from 50 to 100 cubic meters. They also seized 19 high-capacity pumps used to fill water tankers for illegal commercial distribution.
During the raid, authorities arrested a different suspect at a company linked to the operation and confiscated financial records documenting the illegal sale of water.
Technical teams immediately began disconnecting the illegal pipelines, dismantling the unauthorized infrastructure and repairing damage to the water network to restore normal supplies to affected areas.
The ministry said all violations have been referred to the Public Prosecution, with investigations continuing to complete legal proceedings and identify and apprehend other individuals involved.
It stressed that inspection and enforcement campaigns will continue nationwide to combat illegal water use, which directly reduces citizens' water allocations and disrupts scheduled water distribution.
The ministry described water theft and attacks on water infrastructure as economic crimes that threaten national, water and social security, stressing that any infringement on citizens' water rights is a red line that will not be tolerated.
It also urged the public to report any suspected tampering with water infrastructure through the ministry's designated complaint channels and thanked citizens and partner agencies for their cooperation in protecting Jordan's water resources.
//Petra// AJ
