‘Eight illegal wells sealed in September; 430 water network violations removed’

AMMAN — Eight illegal wells were sealed during the past month under an ongoing national endeavour to protect water resources from exploitation, a government official said on Thursday.

The sealed wells spread across the country, according to Omar Salameh, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, who noted that sealing illegal wells seeks to control the dropping level of underground water.

Also during September, authorities removed 430 violations on water networks under the campaign, which was launched in 2013 to end water theft.

“By September, the ministry and security forces had dismantled more than 25,677 illegal fixtures on water mains and resources under the ongoing campaign,” Salameh said.

The ministry has also sealed 806 illegal wells over the past three years.

The government banned the drilling of wells in 1997 to limit random pumping of water and to preserve aquifers from depletion and salinity.

International studies indicate that water levels at several aquifers have been dropping at a rate of 1 metre per year, according to the ministry, which noted that more than 50 million cubic metres of underground water is being extracted in indiscriminate pumping.

Meanwhile in the Jordan Valley, authorities removed 437 violations on the King Abdullah Canal in September, according to Salameh, who said that a total of 10,019 violations on the canal have been removed since 2013.

The 110km long canal is supplied by the Yarmouk River to irrigate 40 per cent of the valley’s arable land and provide the capital with some 40 per cent of its water needs after processing at the Zai Water Treatment Plant.

Collecting dues from those who pumped water from illegal agricultural wells across the country is another part of the national campaign.

“Since 2013, the ministry has collected JD2.3 million from the total dues, which stand at JD7.9 million,” Salameh told The Jordan Times.

Water theft in Jordan is blamed for 70 per cent of water loss, according to the ministry.

The amended Water Authority of Jordan Law stipulates stiffer penalties against those who steal from water resources.

Those who abuse water carriers and mains, wastewater, pumping, purification or desalination stations; or cause the pollution of water resources, pipes or stations used for drinking water; and those who dig or are involved in the digging of wells without obtaining a licence face a prison sentence of up to five years and fines of up to JD7,000.

In addition, individuals involved in violations targeting water and wastewater projects are jailed for up to three years and fined up to JD5,000 under the amendments.

All penalties stipulated under the law are doubled in the case of repeat offences.