Desalination Plant to operate next month

At last, the Zara-Maain project for water treatment and desalination, which would provide the country with 40 million cubic metres (mcm) annually, will start operating mid-August.

This was one of the major projects developed by the Ministry of Water and irrigation, and one of the most interesting experiences in desalinating natural brackish water for drinking purposes. project should have a huge impact with some two million people in the Greater Amman area and 500,000 Zarqa and Mafraq residents will benefit from the water pumped by the project. However, the plant will start operating at 25 per cent of its total capacity next month.

started in 2001 with the goal to increase potable water supplies to the capital and the Dead Sea tourist area.The plant includes a pre-treatment system, a desalination plat, six pumping stations and an advanced monitoring and control system, as well as the construction of a 40-kilometre pipeline.

The Zara-Maain plant is one of the country’s mega- water projects meant to address water deficit, which this year is 425mcm.

According to the ministry’s figures, water share per capita currently stands at 150 cubic metres per year. It is expected to rise to 160 cubic metres in 2007 as the Zara-Maain project picks up speed.

Officials expect that by 2020, the $600 million Disi Water Conveyance Project would be ready, supplying Amman and the southern governorates with some 170mcm of water per year from the southern aquifer for the next 100 years.

By that time, the Red-Dead project will theoretically also be completed and provide the country with 850mcm of potable water a year.

In the meantime, let us just have some relief with the actual delivery of the desalination project!