Water

Jordan is not a natural resource gifted country. It might have some commercially exploitable uranium and potash but no oil. But what is even less fortunate is that Jordan does not have much water. Apart from objectively lacking water resources some argue that this is also due to bad water infrastructure, unequal distribution within the country and between neighbouring countries and an uneconomical water usage for agriculture and the private sector.

Anyway, one reason has been evident for all to see during this winter – the lack of rainfall and the extreme low level of water reserves in the dams. Whether this is due to climate change – what is believable – or some other natural occurring phenomenon like bad weather luck this made the government take the decision to ban growing water intensive summer crops in the Jordan valley this year. The water outlook for 2009 was very bad, indeed. To me it shows that Jordan should care a lot about what other countries are doing to fight climate change and of course should continue to implement efficient water management projects.

A bulldozer clears snow from a road in the southern region on Sunday morning. The Maan and Tafileh governorates witnessed heavy snowfall on Saturday night, which temporarily blocked traffic on main and side roads (Petra photo)

Luckily, somehow the rain prayers that many have performed the past months must have been heard. The last week snow and rain has been pouring down from the skies, so much that the dams now holds almost 50% of their capacity which I think is more than last year. What is considered bad weather in my country is a blessing in Jordan. Within the next two to three weeks we will see Jordan turning green where it used to be brownish and we will hopefully have a beautiful spring season. While it is still to early to say 2009 will be a good water year – at least the worst case scenario has been avoided.

Water for agriculture has not been the only water issue these last days. A couple of days ago information about a possible natural radiation contamination of a potential very important aquifer for drinking water began to appear in the press and on the net. The government was quick to dismiss the information. None the less Jordan Times today brought some new information on the issue, and it seems – according to the study – that if used for drinking purposes the water should be treated to some extent. I remember from my own country that this natural radiation is somewhat common not just in water but also in building materials and leaking as gas from the ground. So while Jordan is not very fortunate in natural resources this could look like a case where we actually have too much of it. The good thing is that this is something you can deal with – it does not depend on the whims of the weather or climate change – just sound planning and testing from the Government. Blogger Batir – who has taken up blogging again – has a more detailed description of the phenomenon.

Update 1: The authorities has lifted the ban on growing summer crops - and it still rains in Amman.

Update 2: The issue of drinking water was addressed yesterday by a number of government entities confirming that water for drinking is safe.

Update 3: Nizar Abu-Jaber, professor of Geology at the Yarmouk University, presents a scientific explanation of the phenomenon on his blog - a must read for all interested.