Jordanian water & irrigation ministry, USAID sign agreement

The Jordanian Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the United States Agency for International Development(USAID) signed a contract here on Wednesday for new Mafraq Wastewater Treatment Plant(MWTP), to the value of $23.350 million and the agency covered 85% of the cost. The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Water and Irrigation Mohammad Al Najjar, Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) Secretary General ,Fayez Batayneh and USAID Acting Mission Director Kevin Rushing. Al Najjar said the project which will be implemented within two months and will be completed in early 2013, includes the expansion of (MWTP), noting that the project will increase the plant’s capacity to 6,550 cubic meters per day to serve Mafraq city until 2025. He added that the project will contribute in improving the health level of the governorate and prompting the quality of water, which will increase the farmers’ investments and run manpower. Rushing said the treated water from the new plant will be suitable for agricultural , industrial and environmental use, adding that the project is part of USAID’s support to the water sector in Jordan and is implemented in partnership with the WAJ