Abstract
Many countries in West Asia are facing challenges related to management of their scarce water resources. Challenges are exacerbated by population growth and climate change. In this context treated wastewater for agricultural purposes can become a significant component. Accordingly, this chapter aims to present Jordan’s experience in the field of wastewater treatment and reuse with interest in the governing legal and institutional framework and its evolution. Jordan is considered one of the few water-stressed countries in the region that has become successful in managing the limited water resources. In addition, treated wastewater use in agriculture is a well-developed practice in Jordan for decades and was originally motivated by the severe water scarcity and the demand to provide the agricultural sector with non-conventional irrigation water. The chapter is arranged in sections where the challenges and the solutions adapted at regional level are introduced together with historical development of sanitation paradigms. The chapter then digs into the details of Jordan’s experience in treated wastewater use and presents how the legal and institutional arrangements were formulated. Challenges and opportunities associated with treated wastewater use in Jordan are then presented and required improvements as recognized by the government are introduced.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abuzeid, K. (2014). An Arab perspective on the applicability of the water convention in the Arab region: key aspects and opportunities for the Arab countries. In Workshop on Legal Frameworks for Cooperation On Transboundary Water. Tunis, 11–12 June, 2014.
Abuzeid, K., & Elrawady, M. (2014). 2nd Arab State of the Water Report. Center for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe and Arab Water Council.
AFED. (2014). Water efficiency handbook: Identifying opportunities to increase water use efficiency in industry, buildings, and agriculture in the Arab countries.
Almazroui, M. (2012). Dynamical downscaling of rainfall temperature over the Arabian Peninsula using RegCM4. Climate Research, 52, 49–62. http://www.int-res.com/articles/cr_oa/co52po49.pdf.
Ammary, B. (2007). Wastewater reuse in Jordan: Present status and future plans. Desalination, 211, 164–176.
Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA). (2011). Safe use of treated wastewater in agriculture: Jordan case study. Amman, Jordan: Nayef Seder (JVA) and Sameer Abdel-Jabbar (GIZ).
GEO-6. (2016). Global environment outlook. Regional assessment for West Asia. United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). ISBN 978-92-807-3548-2.
Ghneim, A. (2010). Wastewater reuse and management in the Middle East and North Africa: A case study of Jordan. Ph.D. Dissertation, Technical University of Berlin, Germany.
Glass, N. (2010). The water crisis in Yemen: Causes, consequences and solutions. Global Majority E-Journal, 1(1), 17–30.
Haddadin, M., & Shteiwi, M. (2006). Linkages with social and cultural issues. In: M. J. Haddadin (Eds.), Water resources in Jordan: evolving policies for development, the environment, and conflict resolution. Issues in water resource policy, (pp. 2011–235). Washington, DC: Resources for the Future.
ISSP. (2012). Water valuation study program. USAID/Jordan: Institutional Support and Strengthening Program (ISSP)
ISSP. (2014). National Strategic Wastewater Master Plan Final Report. http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00JRPX.pdf. Accessed 30 September 2017.
Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) and Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). (2010). Annual Report. JVA and MoA, Amman, Jordan
Kone, D. (2010). Making urban excreta and wastewater management contribute to cities’ economic development: A paradigm shift. Water Policy, 12(4), 602–610.
Majdalawi, M. (2003). Socio-economic and environmental impacts of the reuse of water in agriculture in Jordan. Farming systems and resources economics in the tropics No 51. Dissertation. Hohenheim University, Stuttgart, Germany.
McCornick, P. G., Hijazi, A., & Sheikh, B. (2004). From wastewater reuse to water reclamation: progression of water reuse standards in Jordan. In: C. Scott, N. I. Faruqui, & L. Raschid. (Eds.), Wastewater use in irrigated agriculture: confronting the livelihood and environmental realities, Wallingford: CABI/IWMI/IDRC.
MEDAWARE. (2005). Development of tools and guidelines for the promotion of the sustainable urban wastewater treatment and reuse in the agricultural production in the mediterranean countries. Project Acronym (MEDAWARE), Task 5: Technical Guidelines on Wastewater Utilisation.
Meslemani, Y. (2008). Climate change impacts and adaptation in the eastern Mediterranean/Syria: Draft UNFCCC initial national communication for Syria. Demascus, Syria: Ministry of State for Arab Affiars.
Ministry of Water and Irrigation. (2016). National water strategy of Jordan, 2016–2025. http://www.mwi.gov.jo/sites/en-us/Hot%20Issues/Strategic%20Documents%20of%20%20The%20Water%20Sector/National%20Water%20Strategy(%202016-2025)-25.2.2016.pdf. Accessed on September 30, 2017.
MWI (2009). Water for life: Jordan’s water strategy 2008–2022. http://www.mwi.gov.jo/sites/en-us/Documents/Jordan_Water_Strategy_English.pdf.
Nazzal, Y. K., Mansour, M., AL Najjar, M., & McCornick, P. (2000). Wastewater reuse laws and standards in the Kingdom of Jordan. Amman, Jordan: The Ministry of Water and Irrigation.
Olmstead, S. M. (2014). Climate change adaptation and water resource management: A review of the literature. Energy Economics, 46, 500–509.
Rachel, B., Jeanne, L., & Jamie, B. (2013). Sanitation: A global estimate of sewerage connections without treatment and the resulting impact on MDG progress. Environmental Science and Technology, 47(4), 1994–2000.
Reymond, P., Renggli, S., Luthi, C. (2016). Towards sustainable sanitation in an urbanizing world. In: M. Ergen (Ed.), Chapter 5 in the bool sustainable urbanization. Intech Printing. ISBN 978-953-51-2653-9, Print ISBN 978-953-51-2652-2.
Rowling, M. (2014). Iraq’s environment water supply in sever decline. Washington: Thomson Reuters Foundation News.
Sipkin, S. (2012). Water conflict in Yemen. ICE case studies (235). http://www.1.american.edu/ted/ice/yemen-water.htm.
Ulimat, A. (2012). Wastewater production, treatment, and use in Jordan. In: Second Regional Workshop: Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture, New Delhi, India, 16–18 May 2012.
UNEP. (2016). Global environment outlook: Regional assessment for West Asia. United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). IBSN 978-92-807-3548-2.
Van Vliet, B., Spaargaren, G., & Oosterveer, P. (Eds.). (2010). Social perspectives on the sanitation challenge. Dordrecht: Springer. ISBN 978-90-481-3721-3.
Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ). (2012). Quantities of Treated Wastewater Exiting WWTPs and Used Directly and Indirectly for Irrigation. Technical Report. Amman, Jordan: Water Reuse and Environment Unit, WAJ
Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ). (2013). Agreements with farmers for purposes of reusing treated wastewater in irrigation. Technical Report. Amman, Jordan: Water Reuse and Environment Unit, WAJ
WHO (2006). Guidelines for the safe use of wastewater, excreta and grey water vol 2. wastewater use in agriculture. Published by the World Health Organization. ISBN: 92 4 154683 2.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 UNU-FLORES
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Halalsheh, M., Kassab, G. (2018). Policy and the Governance Framework for Wastewater Irrigation: Jordanian Experience. In: Hettiarachchi, H., Ardakanian, R. (eds) Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74268-7_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74268-7_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74267-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74268-7
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)