Hottest mineral water well in Jordan attracts investors — minister

QASTAL — Just 30km south of Amman, the hottest mineral water well in Jordan has been discovered, and it is already attracting investors, according to Water Minister Hazem Nasser.

In the middle of the south Amman desert, 4km south of the Queen Alia International Airport, vapours gush from the 77°C well and the smell of minerals fills the warm air.

“This is the hottest water source in Jordan and probably across the region. It enjoys unique natural properties making it a great investment opportunity for medical and therapeutic tourism due to all the minerals that soothe the body,” Nasser said during a media tour of the site.

The discovery of the new water source was only announced last week, but several investors have already contacted the ministry to express interest and inquire about the investment mechanism, the minister added.

“The ministry is ready to provide investors with water for tourist purposes within a year at the max,” Nasser said.

The water in Qastal was found 1,200m underground, with salinity levels of 3,000mg and diverse unique therapeutic minerals, the minister said, noting that following tests, the water was proven to be pure without any microbiological elements.

The minister highlighted that the government will draw up a master plan for Qastal, noting that future investments in the area will be distributed in a way that fits people’s different income levels.

The well was discovered when the ministry was digging exploration wells for its Amman-Shidiyeh-Hassa Water Conveyance Project, which entails extracting water from very deep wells, located in the south between the Shidiyeh, Hassa and Qatraneh areas.

Shidiyeh and Hassa are located in Tafileh Governorate, some 180km southwest of Amman, while Qatraneh is located in Karak Governorate, 140km south of the capital.

The project’s 10 exploration wells, which cost $500,000 each, have been completed, according to Nasser, who noted that the project’s first phase's tender will be floated next year, while the second phase’s tender will be floated in 2018.

The first phase will generate 20 million cubic metres of water, while the second phase will generate 50 million cubic metres, the minister said, adding that the water will be supplied to the central region.

The project’s two phases will cost $350 million, he added.