MCA-Jordan reaches out to poor households in Zarqa

AMMAN — Millennium Challenge Account-Jordan (MCA-Jordan) recently concluded the first phase of a socio-economic and technical survey, which aims at assessing the in-house water and sewage conditions of the households in Zarqa Governorate to determine the work required to improve water quality and quantity.

MCA-Jordan — a company owned by the government to manage the $275 million grant from the US government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) — has deployed 25 teams of socioeconomic surveyors and plumbers in alliance with local women’s NGOs to assess water and wastewater conditions of National Aid Fund (NAF) beneficiaries in Zarqa Governorate, according to a statement sent to The Jordan Times.

Around 3,000 houses in the Zarqa area were surveyed last month, and the survey teams are currently assessing the conditions of more than 4,000 houses in Ruseifa.

The assessment is being conducted within MCA-Jordan’s Water Smart Homes Activity (WSHs-A), designed to improve home water systems and decrease household water costs. 

The WSHs-A has two main components: one for promoting household behavioural change in managing water, and the second focusing on providing water and wastewater system improvements in the homes of NAF beneficiaries in the governorate. 

“The results of the survey will guide us to determine the needs in the targeted households to improve the living conditions of the ones that need it most,” the statement quoted WSHs-A Manager Lara Shahin as saying.

MCA-Jordan is implementing the project via Cowater International Inc., a Canadian consultancy firm, along with Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (UK) and three Jordanian firms: Development Alternatives Inc., Electromechanical Contracting Company and Near East.

The WSHs-A project is part of other projects funded by the MCC grant to the government. 

The grant finances three main projects: the Water Network Project providing nearly 800km of new drinking water pipes; the Wastewater Network Project building about 180km of new sewage lines; and the Al Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Project doubling the capacity of the current facility.  

“Together these projects help comprise an integrated water cycle that will lead to increased water supply and enhanced quality of living in Zarqa Governorate, therefore, achieving MCC’s objective of reducing poverty through economic growth,” MCA-Jordan said.