Integrated Wastewater Management for the Protection of Vulnerable Water Resources in the North of Jordan

Abstract

The protection of vulnerable groundwater resources and their optimal management is essential for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to meet current and future water demands. Our overall objective was to analyse the water situation in the district of Bani Kinana, which has received a large number of Syrian refugees in the past, resulting in an increased water demand, which in turn leads to local water shortages and puts tremendous pressure on local groundwater resources. An integrated wastewater resources management (IWRM) approach to protect groundwater resources and to reduce the risk to local communities and ecosystems was developed, and the most cost-effective wastewater treatment system solution was identified, based on the ALLOWS tool (Assessment-of-Local-Lowest-Cost-Wastewater-Solutions). The results show that a large volume of drinking water is directed to the Jordan Valley and it is recommended that this water should be retained to meet current needs and the projected future demand of 8.3 MC in 2050. The ALLOWS tool revealed that the current practice of wastewater disposal by tanker is the costliest scenario in the long-term and will cause the pollution of groundwater resources. A tailored solution, such as the implementation of a cost-efficient semi-centralized wastewater treatment plant, would contribute significantly to protecting vulnerable water recourses.