AMMAN (Petra) – Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit on Monday said providing water for citizens is priority all year round, especially this summer, which coincides with the holy month of Ramadan.

Chairing a meeting at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, he noted that the government has allocated additional amounts of money to purchase water tankers as a means to provide water to remote and high altitudes areas.

Bakhit stressed that distributing water equally to citizens across Jordan is the responsibility of the water ministry.

The premier called for paying heed to people’s complaints regarding water and addressing them immediately, underlining the need for the ministries of water and energy and district governors to cooperate to increase access to water, particularly during the summer, which witnesses high tourism activity and the return of expatriates.

He said the concerned authorities should also work to ensure that no power cuts occur under any circumstances in areas where water pumping stations are located.

Water Authority of Jordan Secretary General Munir Oweis said putting a stop to the illegal use of water would alone increase water supply to households in Amman from 24 hours per week to three to four days a week, noting that theft accounts for 70 per cent of water loss in networks.

The premier called on the water ministry to stop violations of water networks and pipelines, highlighting the important role of governors in following up daily on the water situation in their respective governorates.

Bakhit also listened to a briefing on the water situation in Jordan and the ministry’s plans to meet the growing demand for water, which increases by more than 6 per cent annually.

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