‘Germany to provide 22m euros in funds for water, wastewater projects’

AMMAN – Jordan and the German Development Bank (KfW) on Tuesday signed agreements for water and wastewater projects worth 22 million euros (around JD18 million), the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Water Minister Hazem Nasser signed several agreements to implement wastewater networks and water projects across the Kingdom, especially in regions hosting Syrian refugees.

During the signing ceremony, attended by Florian Rabe, KfW office director in Amman, Nasser noted that the ministry is working to overcome the burdens resulting from the overpopulation of the northern and central regions and the increasing demand for water.

Nasser said the agreements aim at constructing a water pipeline from Khaw area to Zaatari station reservoir in Mafraq, some 80km northeast of Amman.

The 31-kilometre-long pipeline will be implemented by a local contractor in 18 months, with work scheduled to start before the summer of 2017, providing 10 million cubic metres of Disi water to the northern governorates. 

The Zaatari project will cost 12 million euros, 90 per cent funded by  KfW through a loan and 10 per cent by the Water Authority of Jordan, Nasser added.

The minister noted that the second project includes building sewage networks for Manshiyet Bani Hassan in Mafraq at a cost of 10 million euros funded by a grant from the German government. 

The project will benefit 25,000 people in this area, improve the environment and protect underground water.

He commended the German support through KfW and Gulf Arab countries’ assistance through the Gulf Cooperation Council grant.

Rabe praised Jordanian-German cooperation, asserting Germany’s commitment to enabling Jordan to confront the extraordinary circumstances resulting from hosting Syrian refugees. 

He also urged donor countries to aid Jordan in meeting the rising demand on water and sewage services, according to Petra.