Citizens trained on water conservation to prevent daily losses

AMMAN — A four-year long project aimed at addressing host communities’ water needs across the country on Wednesday held a concluding ceremony to present the achievements and success stories witnessed throughout the programme.

Launched in 2015 by Oxfam in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) and Future Pioneers “Addressing the Water Needs of Jordan Hosting Communities (AWANE)” aimed to bring community members, partners and government officials together to improve water resource management in the Zarqa and Balqa governorates, while enabling residents to understand their rights and responsibilities in water conservation. 

“The sight of wasted water all over the streets used to hurt us, as we were working so hard to save water in our homes… So, at first, we were like a swarm of bees around Majde Algharagher (WAJ Salt District Director), always pushing until we got a solution to each issue,” recalled Abir Suleiman Mrooj, a resident of Allan, in northern Jordan.

Mrooj was one of the members of the water groups organised through AWANE, where community members were invited to “speak freely with government officials from WAJ, identifying their water issues, airing their grievances and working together to improve access and governance in their community”.

Targeting over 40,000 people, including 6,000 women who were trained on improving water use at home and better understanding water conservation, the project also witnessed a “sustainable increase in the reliability of water supply through renovations to existing water infrastructure”, according to the organisers. 

“Over 40 per cent of water in Jordan’s network is lost through leakages, meaning plumbers have an important role to play in conserving water across the country,” said Samira Smairat, AWANE project manager at Oxfam, adding, “Oxfam trained more than 400 women on basic plumbing skills so that they can fix any water leakages in their homes and also earn an income by fixing leakages in their neighbours’ homes.”

“I love what I am doing, it means a lot to me. I am happy to spread the message of water conservation and improve the water situation in my country,” said Etaf Al Khateeb, a 71-year-old volunteer in Zarqa, adding: “I believe this [project] is useful and can save people’s lives — especially now, with the growing pressure on the water network, as Jordan is hosting a large number of Syrian refugees.”

 “Many of the challenges Jordan — one of the most water scarce countries in the world — is facing with water pre-date the Syria crisis and point to a need for continuous systemic changes to water governance as well as how people use this scarce resource,” an Oxfam statement sent to The Jordan Times highlighted, stressing, “we want to ensure that more people in the country can meet their basic water needs and participate in decision making at the community and national level”.

A number of photographs and film screenings were exhibited at the event, sharing the stories of people taking action in their communities following their participation in AWANE.

“I would like to train other women so that they can all benefit like me, sharing my plumbing knowledge with as many women as I can,” said Sarah Abu Hasan, a certified plumber who trained other women on basic plumbing skills.

Mrooj, for her part, stated: “We housewives were able to achieve something for our community. WAJ heard my voice, and through me, the voices of many people in Jordan. We feel so proud that we could impact our community and the government.”

“Now, my water is good. But honestly, other places still struggle,” she acknowledged.

Representing the Canadian government which funded the project through Global Affairs Canada, Canadian Ambassador to Jordan Peter MacDougall voiced his country’s pride to support this project, “which has been able to address major water issues in vulnerable host communities”. 

“Canada believes that women and girls, as powerful agents of change, have a vital role to play in encouraging better water conservation and water management at both the household and community level,” he added.