244
to farm at profi t. Compensation could be offered in return for well closures.
Agribusiness development, eco-tourism, wind and solar projects and expanded
rain- fed agriculture could provide reassurance for those who risk losing jobs and
opportunity for landowners to diversify investments.
• Parallel inducements to encourage farmers to reduce groundwater abstraction
will be essential: (a) phased increases in extraction charges to encourage farmers
to shift to higher value, water-effi cient-crops or to move to alternative employment and to raise revenue; (b) removal of quantitative restrictions and customs
duties on imported water-intensive crops to encourage farmers to grow highervalue, less-thirsty crops to enjoy comparative advantage; (c) accelerated enforcement of the 2002 By-Law No 85 (calling for closure of an estimated 1,000 illegal
wells and restrictions on extraction from 2,799 licensed wells).
• USAID fi nancial support. Although USAID projects have not focused on agriculture, this is changing following the highly critical 2011 USAID Audit. USAID
could fi nancially facilitate cross-sector studies on crop diversifi cation and the
above incentives, but make inducements subject to tightened conditions precedent for cash transfers.
Wastewater Reuse
Third is the opportunity to increase signifi cantly the levels of treated wastewater for
industry and agriculture in order to reduce demand for groundwater in the medium
to long term. The option appears feasible: USAID consultants recommend that the
agency fund over 5 years the building of medium-sized wastewater treatment plants
(WWTPs) (USAID 2012 , p. xvi). The option is politically attractive on account of
its environmental and public health benefi ts and is technically feasible.
Expanding wastewater treatment is likely to be key to reducing highlands
groundwater use and to long-term plans to release surface water (used in irrigation)
for municipal use. Research is required on what volumes of treated wastewater
might realistically be produced. This article’s projections foresee around 60 × 10
6 m
3 /
year of additional treated wastewater production by 2020 and 85 × 10
6 m
3 /year by
2025
21 – a signifi cant contribution to closing projected defi cits.
15.3.2.3 Pursuing Affordable Regional Desalination
Jordan has long recognised that water solutions cannot be exclusively national. This
is because even when improvements in demand and supply effi ciency and the
remaining feasible new water options (wastewater re-use and brackish water
21 Figures exclude supplies from As Samra extension for which fi nance is committed.
V. Yorke
to farm at profi t. Compensation could be offered in return for well closures.
Agribusiness development, eco-tourism, wind and solar projects and expanded
rain- fed agriculture could provide reassurance for those who risk losing jobs and
opportunity for landowners to diversify investments.
• Parallel inducements to encourage farmers to reduce groundwater abstraction
will be essential: (a) phased increases in extraction charges to encourage farmers
to shift to higher value, water-effi cient-crops or to move to alternative employment and to raise revenue; (b) removal of quantitative restrictions and customs
duties on imported water-intensive crops to encourage farmers to grow highervalue, less-thirsty crops to enjoy comparative advantage; (c) accelerated enforcement of the 2002 By-Law No 85 (calling for closure of an estimated 1,000 illegal
wells and restrictions on extraction from 2,799 licensed wells).
• USAID fi nancial support. Although USAID projects have not focused on agriculture, this is changing following the highly critical 2011 USAID Audit. USAID
could fi nancially facilitate cross-sector studies on crop diversifi cation and the
above incentives, but make inducements subject to tightened conditions precedent for cash transfers.
Wastewater Reuse
Third is the opportunity to increase signifi cantly the levels of treated wastewater for
industry and agriculture in order to reduce demand for groundwater in the medium
to long term. The option appears feasible: USAID consultants recommend that the
agency fund over 5 years the building of medium-sized wastewater treatment plants
(WWTPs) (USAID 2012 , p. xvi). The option is politically attractive on account of
its environmental and public health benefi ts and is technically feasible.
Expanding wastewater treatment is likely to be key to reducing highlands
groundwater use and to long-term plans to release surface water (used in irrigation)
for municipal use. Research is required on what volumes of treated wastewater
might realistically be produced. This article’s projections foresee around 60 × 10
6 m
3 /
year of additional treated wastewater production by 2020 and 85 × 10
6 m
3 /year by
2025
21 – a signifi cant contribution to closing projected defi cits.
15.3.2.3 Pursuing Affordable Regional Desalination
Jordan has long recognised that water solutions cannot be exclusively national. This
is because even when improvements in demand and supply effi ciency and the
remaining feasible new water options (wastewater re-use and brackish water
21 Figures exclude supplies from As Samra extension for which fi nance is committed.
V. Yorke