The Millennium Challenge Account-Jordan (MCA-Jordan), with support from the U.S. Government´s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), celebrated today the successful completion of the Water Network Project, the Wastewater Network Project and the inauguration of a new administrative building for the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) in Zarqa Governorate.
The ceremony highlighted the success of the projects managed by MCA-Jordan, a company owned by the Jordanian government, which achieved key objectives in supporting the larger $275 million water and sanitation compact funded by the U.S. government´s MCC. The compact recognizes that water scarcity impacts every aspect of life and affects poverty and economic growth. MCA-Jordan held the celebrations at WAJ´s new administrative building in Zarqa in a ceremony under the patronage of Minister of Water and Irrigation H.E. Dr. Hazim El-Naser, who was represented by the Secretary General of the Water Authority Engineer Tawfiq Habashneh, and Deputy Head of Mission for the Embassy of the United States Henry Wooster, who was deputizing for Ambassador Alice G. Wells.
MCA-Jordan´s Water Network Project laid over 800 kilometers of pipes throughout the cities of Zarqa and Russeifa, replaced 50,000 customer water meters and built a pumping station and reservoir in Russeifa. The pipes laid under this project are designed to increase the supply of water to homes by increasing the hours of supply from 36 to 72 hours weekly and reducing non-revenue water from 50 percent to 35 percent. “Through six contracts, the Water Network Project employed local contractors to build the pipe networks, which created much needed work and sources of income for local tradesmen,” MCA-Jordan CEO Eng. Kamal Zoubi said.
MCA-Jordan also celebrated its second project at the event, the Wastewater Network Project. To improve the handling of wastewater generated by domestic and commercial buildings, this project laid over 300 kilometers of pipes in the cities of Zarqa, Hashmeyyah and Russeifa. The pipes extended the network coverage from 72 percent to 82 percent, reducing incidents of sewage overflow that endangered human health, sanitation and the environment as well as offering citizens the opportunity to cancel the effort and costs associated with the regular cleaning of cesspits.
WAJ´s new administrative building, a 1,627-square-meter space, will support and strengthen WAJ´s administrative, operations and maintenance activities. The building also sports a multipurpose hall and lounge that will facilitate future staff training programs.
During the celebrations, four sewer-cleaning vehicles were presented to WAJ to support sewer system maintenance within the Wastewater Network Project´s 300-kilometer network as well as other networks within the governorate, with six having been distributed previously. MCA-Jordan donated the vehicles to help the operator of Zarqa Governorate´s water and wastewater systems, Miyahuna, switch from responsive maintenance to preventative maintenance in order to help prolong the lifespan of the newly laid pipes. The vehicles were provided under a MCC-funded grant and financed from the substantial savings achieved in the compact program.
At the ceremony, Eng. Kamal Al Zoubi explained: “MCA-Jordan is so proud to be celebrating the success of not one, but two, milestone projects, which have enhanced the efficiency of water and wastewater delivery in Jordan and improved the health of local communities and the environment. To be celebrating these dual achievements here, at WAJ´s new administrative building alongside four brand new maintenance vehicles, only increases our pride as we know that both of these accomplishments have resulted from savings of up to $23 million that were achieved by MCA-Jordan.”
Attending the event from MCC were Deputy Vice President and Chief Economist of the Department of Policy and Evaluation Mark Sundberg and Deputy Vice President of the Department of Compact Operations Jonathan Nash. Also, the event was attended by representatives from the government, donor communities, the private sector and civil society.