Challenges of Water Demand Management in Jordan

Abstract

Water scarcity is considered one of the most important challenges facing Jordan because of the need to satisfy the municipal, industrial, and agricultural needs. The climate in Jordan reveals that more than 80 percent of its area receives less than 200 mm of rainfall. The water resources are divided into two main parts: conventional (surface and groundwater) and non-conventional (treated wastewater, cloud seeding and desalination of sea water, and brackish water). The major problems facing conventional water resources development are quality deterioration and resource depletion. The non-conventional resources could increase water supply enough to overcome the shortage and to satisfy the different water needs of the country. Desalination of seawater and brackish groundwater could reduce the need for additional water supply to cover the country's water needs. The uses of water are divided among municipal, industrial, irrigation, and livestock uses. The irrigation sector consumes most of the water resources in the country, and there is a gradual decrease in the water resources for all uses. Sharing water resources is considered very important to water supplies in the present and future. The annual safe yield of groundwater is 275 million cubic meter (MCM) per year while pumping is more than 450 MCM. This increases the stress on groundwater and gives the priority to water harvesting projects in different areas to accumulate the runoff water either in pools or in desert dams for irrigation, livestock, or artificial groundwater recharge. There are more than 25 dams located in the different parts of the country with total storage of about 204 MCM. To avoid the water shortages in Jordan, it is recommended to increase water harvesting projects and reuse wastewater for irrigation purposes.

Limits of pricing policy in curtailing household water consumption under scarcity conditions

“…Supply and demand forecasts indicate that a significant shortfall will continue to exist. By the year 2025 the per capita share of renewable water resources will shrink to 250 cubic meters per annum if the agricultural land is preserved against urban expansion (Al-Kharabsheh & Ta'any, 2005). The demographic parameters related to fertility, mortality and net immigration determine the future population, and the trend in all three display higher population growth.…”

Assessment of Xenoestrogens in Jordanian Water System: Activity and Identification

“…The water system in Jordan is complex and composed of surface water (rivers, streams, dams) and groundwater basins ( Figure 1 ). The Jordanian water system was discussed in detail previously [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. Due to the government constraints that restrict access to water resources, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation determined the quantity and location of collected samples.…”

Salinity level influenced morpho-physiology and nutrient uptake of young citrus rootstocks

“…Availability of sufficient supplies of fresh water is the main limiting factor for productive agriculture in countries arid and semi-arid regions [ 19 ]. The use of saline water for agriculture is considered as one of alternative sources of irrigation water in Jordan that suffers from shortage of freshwater resources [ 20 ].…”