Chronic scarcity, overuse, waste and a surge in demand caused by refugees has paved the way for desalination plan
Jordan, one of the most water-scarce states, is facing a perfect storm of pressures including chronic scarcity, overuse, waste and a surge in demand caused by refugee arrivals, according to a report by Mercy Corps, an NGO.
To add to the water stress, the country is undergoing its driest rainy season in decades. One proposed solution is to be implemented by mid-2018, after Jordan's signing of a controversial water-sharing agreement with Israeli and the Palestinian authorities in December, after decades of discussions.
The agreement paves the way for the Red Sea Dead Sea water conveyor (RSDSWC) project, though in a much-reduced form. It includes the construction of a desalination plant at the Jordanian port of Aqaba, which will desalinate 800-1,000m cubic metres (mcm) per year, to be shared by the participating countries, and the pumping of brine to revive the Dead Sea, through a 180km pipeline/canal.
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