Abul Saud, Japan ambassador tour Zai water purification station

AMMAN — Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abul Saud and Japan’s Ambassador to Jordan Hidenao Yanagi on Tuesday checked on the revamp of the Zai water purification station, which supplies Amman and Balqa governorates with 245,000 cubic metres of potable water.

In a statement, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation said the tour was aimed at securing the necessary funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to renovate and upgrade the main pumping stations, reduce operating costs and boost water supply efficiency.

Abul Saud said that the project is aimed at ensuring a “stable” water supply, improving energy efficiency and upgrading pumping stations, in addition to reducing operational costs amounting to some JD1.5 million a year and slashing greenhouse emissions, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The three-year project (2021-2023) will see the replacement of the main pumps and equipment in the main treatment facility, he said.

Expressing gratitude to Japan for its ongoing support of the Kingdom, notably for the water sector, the minister highlighted the related bodies’ cooperation with the JICA to improve the quality of the service offered to citizens.

The Japanese envoy highlighted his country’s support of the Kingdom’s water sector, expressing hope that the project would improve water supply services and reduce operational costs.

The Water Authority of Jordan and the JICA in July of 2019 signed a tentative agreement to fund the renovation of the Zai water purification station, as expenses were estimated at $20 million. 

The project seeks to increase water flow from the King Abdullah Canal in the Jordan Valley to the Zai station, which supplies Amman with 40 per cent of its annual water needs.