By Giorgio Sirito
World Water Day, held on the 22nd of March of every year, is an annual United Nations observance. It strives to celebrate water and encourage action to tackle the global water crisis, in a context where 2.2 billion people worldwide still live without safely managed drinking water.[1] This issue has deep implications in Jordan, a country that faces a severe water crisis that is being exacerbated by the climate crisis, geo-political tensions, and obsolete infrastructures.[2]
This blog aims to shed light on the main factors that led to the water crisis faced by Jordan today. By doing so, this piece strives to highlight how water insecurity is disproportionally affecting low-income households and refugees, especially those living in refugee camps and in peri-urban areas. Finally, this blog, by calling attention to these issues, aims to motivate structural, political and social changes, necessary to reach water security in Jordan.
Water Security in Jordan
Today, Jordan is dealing with a dire water crisis. According to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, in 2021 Jordan was one of the most water-poor countries in the world for renewable freshwater with around 61 cubic meters per capita in 2021. On the other hand, 500 cubic meters per capita is considered the threshold for absolute water scarcity by international standards.[3]
It is necessary to point out that water scarcity in Jordan is the direct product of an array of different factors. First, in recent years, rainfall has decreased by 20%, accelerating the fall of the aquifers and dams’ levels, two of the main sources of water in the country. Simultaneously, the Jordan and Yarmouk rivers’ water intake is significantly declining due to higher temperatures and diversions of their sources and currents by Israel and Syria.[4] Additionally, Jordan’s water system is crippled by high levels of non-revenue water, estimated at 52%, which are caused by water leakage, illegal connections and meter losses.[5]
Water Access and Sanitation for refugees living off-camp in Mafraq
The water crisis that is affecting Jordan has alarming social, economic and health effects on the refugees living off-camp. In the city of Mafraq, the second largest area hosting off-camp refugee populations in Jordan, Syrian refugees are confronted with severe difficulties in accessing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services.[6] In fact, the thousands of refugees living in Mafraq since the beginning of the war in Syria have been residing in the outskirts and the peri-urban areas of the city. For this reason, they are not connected to the water network that the municipal authorities provide to households located within the borders of the city. Additionally, refugees usually live in informal housing built by private constructors who follow only minimum residential living standards and who often disregard the right to access WASH services.[7]
The lack of access to the WASH services not only hinders the health and hygienic safety of refugees, but also poses a significant economic burden. In fact, refugees are forced to buy filtered bottles from vendors for drinking water and buy water from private tankers for domestic use. They usually pay 5 JOD (7 US dollars) to get just one cubic meter of water pumped into their household’s water tanks. In addition, when it comes to sanitation, most households are reliant on cesspits that need to be emptied often and generally cost 60 JOD or 85 US dollars every six months.[8]
Water Security and Sanitation in the Azraq Camp
Water security and sanitation is often provided to refugee camps, as demonstrated by the case of the Azraq refugee camp. This camp, established in 2014 and currently hosting 41,000 Syrian refugees, has been equipped with a water supply system since May 2017. This system has led to an improvement of the refugees’ living standards, as Asmaa, a Syrian refugee, affirms:
“Life here was difficult for the first few years. There were no markets, electricity, kitchens or toilets in the shelters. All the refugees had to use communal latrines. Now we have access to electricity, we have a kitchen, and we’ve built our own bathroom “.[9] Indeed, this water system delivers 65-68 liters per person per day in summer, and more than 45 liters during winter. This volume of water significantly exceeds the agreed minimum standard of 35 liters per person per day. Additionally, the camp was initially furnished with latrine and shower facilities, typically shared between three households and connected to water and greywater networks.[10]
Despite this, in the last years, access to water has become progressively less reliable and equal.[11] Weak water pressure, acts of vandalism against WASH infrastructure and the increase in water consumption, due to the creation of unregulated hose connections and self-constructed private latrines, are just some of the factors responsible for the deterioration of the water services in the camp. According to The Water Diplomat, the lack of funds allocated to the WASH sector is undermining the durability and efficiency of the services offered until now. Indeed, the shortage of cleaning materials, water, and repair tools is leading to deficient hygienic standards, especially in the communal latrines.[12]
Recommendations
A safe and constant access to water and sanitation services is a basic human right that is still not guaranteed to all the refugees and low-income households in Jordan. This ongoing crisis poses significant socio-economic and public health risks that can be addressed with shared strategies and an overall approach that includes:
Expanding Infrastructure: Connect all informal settlements outside municipal boundaries to water and sanitation networks to ensure universal access.
Reducing Water Loss: Water companies and local authorities should take urgent measures to modernize existing water infrastructure and reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW) levels.
Support National Policy: The Jordanian government’s National Water Strategy 2023-2040 is the expression of the government’s attention and investment in sustainable water policies and emphasizes its critical role in achieving water security and equitable access to water and sanitation for all. These efforts should be sustained with correct implementation and education on the use of water.
[1] United Nations. (n.d.). World Water Day - Background. United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day/background
[2] Water, sanitation and hygiene. UNICEF Jordan. (n.d.). https://www.unicef.org/jordan/water-sanitation-and-hygiene
[3] National water strategy 2023-2040. (n.d.-a). https://www.mwi.gov.jo/EBV4.0/Root_Storage/AR/EB_Ticker/National_Water_Strategy_2023-2040_Summary-English_-ver2.pdf
[4] Water security in Jordan and its future horizons. Strategiecs Think Tank - WATER SECURITY IN JORDAN AND ITS FUTURE HORIZONS. (2022, January 19). https://strategiecs.com/en/analyses/water-security-in-jordan-and-its-future-horizons
[5] Water, sanitation and hygiene. UNICEF Jordan. (n.d.). https://www.unicef.org/jordan/water-sanitation-and-hygiene
[6] Garfias Royo, M., Parikh, H., Campos, L., Talozi, S., & Parikh, P. (2024, October 10). Modelling scenarios for water supply and Sanitation Technologies in Jordan. Nature News. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41545-024-00398-3
[7] Alhaddadin, R. (2023, September 28). Beyond the city’s borders: Water and sanitation access for refugees in Mafraq. International Institute for Environment and Development. https://www.iied.org/beyond-citys-borders-water-sanitation-access-for-refugees-mafraq
[8] Alhaddadin, R. (2023, September 28). Beyond the city’s borders: Water and sanitation access for refugees in Mafraq. International Institute for Environment and Development. https://www.iied.org/beyond-citys-borders-water-sanitation-access-for-refugees-mafraq
[9] The Water Diplomat. (2024, September 26). 10-year anniversary of the Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan. https://www.waterdiplomat.org/story/2024/09/10-year-anniversary-azraq-refugee-camp-jordan
[10] A social and behavior change strategy for water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) behaviors in Azraq Camp – jordan - jordan. ReliefWeb. (2023, November 1). https://reliefweb.int/report/jordan/social-and-behavior-change-strategy-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-wash-behaviors-azraq-camp-jordan
[11] A social and behavior change strategy for water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) behaviors in Azraq Camp – jordan - jordan. ReliefWeb. (2023, November 1). https://reliefweb.int/report/jordan/social-and-behavior-change-strategy-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-wash-behaviors-azraq-camp-jordan
[12] The Water Diplomat. (2024, September 26). 10-year anniversary of the Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan. https://www.waterdiplomat.org/story/2024/09/10-year-anniversary-azraq-refugee-camp-jordan
