Managing Jordan's Water Budget: Providing for Past, Present and Future Needs

Jordan faces continuing growth in water demand, far outstripping its limited renewable resources. Significant efforts have been deployed by the government to maximize the capture of surface water and groundwater, and to develop non-conventional sources such as brackish groundwater, fossil groundwater and treated wastewater. However, with agricultural requirements remaining at over 60% of the total water budget of the country, there is currently (in 2005) a deficit of 461 million cubic meters (MCM)/year out of a total annual requirement of 1,546 MCM. This deficit is met partially by significant over-abstraction of groundwater, leading to the depletion and salinization of the aquifers, and also by undersupplying the demand from the municipal sector and agriculture. While attempting to address water demand, improve supply efficiency in all sectors and increase the use of treated wastewater, Jordan has its hopes for the future pinned on the development of new sources-the transfer of fossil groundwater from the Disi field to Amman in the medium term, and a Red Sea-Dead Sea Conveyance providing desalinated water in the long term. However, such new sources will be expensive, and until they are developed, significant reductions in water supplied to the agricultural sector will be necessary if continued over-exploitation of the aquifers is to be avoided. This paper traces the growth in water demand in Jordan, and sets out the current supply and demand projections using publicly available figures from the National Water Master Plan 2004 and other public sources. The problems arising from addressing the water deficit are discussed. The measures taken by Jordan to date are described, and the need for additional steps to be taken to deal with the future deficits is highlighted.