UAE contractor lands bid for Jordan wastewater treatment plant: A subsidiary of Dubai-based contractor Drake & Scull International will build an AED 307 mn (c. USD 83.6 mn) wastewater treatment plant in Jordan’s Ar-Ramtha city, according to a disclosure(pdf) published on Friday on the Dubai Financial Market. The Drake & Scull subsidiary will develop the plant in collaboration with a local Jordanian company, the statement said. No information on the capacity or timeline for the plant’s construction was provided.

Waste water is an essential source of water supply for the kingdom: Jordan operates 34 wastewater treatment plants that provide 14% of the kingdom’s total water supply, according to a statement by the UN. Treated wastewater is also vital for Jordan’s agriculture sector accounting for around a quarter of the volume of water used for irrigation, the statement notes.

Jordan is struggling with a water crisis: Water and Irrigation Minister Mohamed Al Najjar signed a JOD 7.6 mn (c. USD 10.7 mn) agreement last month for a treated water carrier project backed by Germany's Development Bank (KfW). The project would provide 10 mn cubic meters of treated water annually and slash greenhouse gas emissions by 6.6k tons annually. In June, the World Bank approved USD 250 mn in financing to help Jordan set up a robust drought management system to enhance water management practices. The project aims to save c.10 mn cubic meters (cbm) of water and help reduce electricity use. In March, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed an agreement to channel a EUR 30 mn grant to Jordan by the EU, along with a EUR 41.3 mn loan for the development of a green wastewater treatment facility in Al Ghabawi. Last year, Jordan signed a EUR 115 mn loan agreement with the KfW to increase water efficiency in the King Abdullah Canal.

And faces water shortages and less than average rainfalls this season: Jordan is one of the most water-scarce countries globally. Although this season’s rainfall is 88% more than last season, it still remains well below the average of 210 mm, taking a heavy toll on crops in the already water scarce country.

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