A remarkable rainy season in Jordan boosts water reserves and promises a better summer after more than a decade

Arab Weather - The spokesperson for the Ministry of Water, Omar Salameh, stated that, thanks be to God, the rainfall this season reached 130% by yesterday morning, a percentage not exceeded in over 10 years. Speaking to Public Security Radio, he added that the dams in the central and southern regions are full to their storage capacity, as are the approximately 650 desert dams and reservoirs. He also noted that thousands of collection wells in villages and rural areas are full, which bodes well for a very promising agricultural season and will have a significant impact on irrigation, livestock breeders, and the crops upon which the national economy depends, as well as providing job opportunities for farmers throughout the Kingdom.

Regarding drinking water, he affirmed that this has a positive role in improving water supply because a number of wells that dried up in recent years and springs have improved, and their production capacity will double, God willing. This will positively impact the amount of water available for drinking in various regions of the Kingdom, noting that a large number of areas rely on some of the springs in these regions.
He explained that the groundwater basins have improved as a result of the rainfall that continued during the past period, and this will have a positive impact on the Kingdom.

He said that the Kingdom has gone through long years of drought and difficult conditions with regard to rainfall, indicating that during the past four years, rainfall did not exceed 60% of the annual average, stressing that rainfall during the current rainy season will have a positive impact on all aspects of life, whether agricultural, drinking, or economic aspects.

He expressed hope that there would be rainfall at the Unity Dam, one of the main dams relied upon for drinking water, and that arrangements would be made with their Syrian counterparts in the coming days. He said that regarding the issue of reducing water loss, the Ministry has achieved significant progress, thanks to the directives of His Majesty the King to the government, which is closely monitoring this matter. He emphasized that the Minister of Water holds daily meetings to discuss water loss, noting that we are talking about a 10% loss, which is a very large figure. We are talking about approximately 50 million cubic meters that have been saved for drinking water purposes. He explained that reducing the loss by 10% in all regions of the Kingdom means that we have improved the networks, and the lost water is now reaching citizens without additional financial costs. This will undoubtedly have a positive impact on improving the water situation.

Regarding the role of water, he said that our resources are limited, and until the National Water Carrier project is implemented, which will be in the record of achievements of the Jordanian state in the near future, as announced by the Prime Minister, who said that the government will finish this project and begin its implementation soon, and this will be the permanent and sustainable solution to secure 300 million cubic meters during the coming period, God willing.