Jordan

Legal Framework

There are three main laws setting the legislative framework for the water sector in Jordan: the Law on the Water Authority No.18 of 1988, the Groundwater By-Law No. 85 of 2002 and the Water Protection Regulation of 2005.

The Law on the Water Authority No.18 of 1988 was amended twice, in 2001 and in 2014. Per the 2001 amendment, the law establishes that all water resources are property of the State and that the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) is chaired by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. The Water Authority’s competences include: water use (except for irrigation), conservation, exploitation, sanitation and preservation, as well as water infrastructure construction and wastewater research and supervision. The 2014 amendment focuses on public fund management and penalty strengthening regarding water pollution, infrastructural damage and illegal use.

The Groundwater By-Law No.85 of 2002 was revised by four minor amendments in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The majority of original regulation remains relevant. The Groundwater By-Law establishes that all underground water is property of the state. It particularly distinguishes land property from underground water ownership. It also entrusts the Water Authority with the study, monitoring and supervision of groundwater quality, quantity, use, extraction and infrastructure.

The Water Protection Regulation of 2005 establishes the competences of the Ministry of Environment regarding water resource management. The regulation gives the Ministry of Environment authority on carrying out water analyses for suitability and granting construction authorisation sewerage, treatment, drainage and discharge infrastructure. It also establishes that the Ministry of Environment is in charge of authorising the use of substances for water treatment. The regulation ends on industries obligations in terms of wastewater management.

The first national water strategy was designed in 1998. The strategy was updated in 2008, in 2016 and in 2023.

Jordan’s first strategy titled “Jordan Water Strategy and Policies” enabled the adoption of water policy leading to the aforementioned legislation significant investments.

The second strategy titled “Water for Life: Jordan’s Water Strategy 2008-2022” was centred on efficiency, safety, affordability and sustainability for all aspects of water management, including agricultural water use and institutional reform. It led to the achievement of Jordan’s Millenium Development Goals. `

The third strategy titled “National Water Strategy of Jordan 2016-2025” was built around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as innovative sectoral approaches such as WEFE Nexus, non-conventional water resources and integrated water resources management (IWRM), with a focus on resilience.

Lastly, the “National Water Strategy 2023-2040” provides clarifications on expected outcomes and responsibilities. It also considers changes in national circumstances including accelerated demographic growth, reduced water supply due to under-developed sources of water (i.e. desalination), and the intensification of climate change impacts. This latest strategy covers making use of modern technologies as solutions to water challenges, reviewing Non-Revenue Water implementation strategies for improved effectiveness, and building coordination to manage water funding.

The strategy’s objectives are as follows:

• Legal and institutional reform aiming to modernise the water sector.
• Water supply (sustainable) and water demand balance restoration to achieve water security.
• Financial sustainability through full cost recovery and government support in critical infrastructure investment.
• Ensure impartial and transparent regulation of water sector services and costs.

Main Institutions

The missions of monitoring the general state of the water sector, water supply and wastewater systems are the responsibility of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MWI). The MWI is also in charge of national water strategies, policies and financial resources.  Its role also includes the provision of centralised, standardised, and consolidated water-related data. Its legal authority is limited, however some of its competences overlap with those of the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) and the Jordan Valley Authority.

The Water Authority of Jordan was established in 1983 as a semi-autonomous government entity in charge of water and wastewater management. These responsibilities include investment, ownership, and management of wastewater infrastructure.

Jordan’s Water Utility Companies were established by the Companies Law No. 22 of 1997. There are currently three companies: Aqaba Water, Miyahuna Water Company, and Al Yarmouk Water Company. As commissioned by the WAJ, the companies oversee water and wastewater services with the exception of Disi water supply and As-Samra wastewater treatment plant. The companies have partial autonomy notably in terms of operation and maintenance. This results from the government having maintained its management role.

In addition, the performance of the Water Utility Companies is monitored by the Utilities Performance Monitoring Unit (UPMU) which was established by the Water Authority Law.  The UPMU’s role of regulatory oversight aims to serve as a foundation of independent sector regulation.

Finally, the Ministry of Environment has authority on carrying out water analyses for suitability and granting construction authorisation sewerage, treatment, drainage and discharge infrastructure. It is also charged with authorising the use of substances for water treatment.

The territorial water management

The Jordan Valley Authority was established by the Jordan Valley Development Law No. 17 of 1977. It is responsible for the socioeconomic development of the Jordan Valley including the development, utilisation, protection, and conservation of water resources.

Its current mandate covers water resources management in the Jordan Valley including dams, irrigation, distribution, drainage and water harvesting projects.  

Within its mission, the JVA has developed the use of marginal water (brackish and reclaimed) to compensate for the shortage of irrigation water. It also supports farmers in exploiting innovative technologies for efficiency and in establishing water user associations.

To date (March 2025) there are 24 Water User Association in the Jordan Valley, which represent about 80% of the valley’s irrigated farmlands. These associations of local farmers aim to improve irrigation management in partnership with the JVA. In particulars, WUAs can be assigned responsibility for irrigation water distribution to individual farmers (Italian Trade Agency, 2025).

Main issues in Water Resource Management

Jordan is located in one of the most arid regions in the world and as such it is faced with severe water scarcity.

This scarcity is worsened by climate change impacts such as severe droughts and rising temperatures, which affect water resource availability. In addition, extreme weather events, namely heavy rainfalls and flash floods, cause critical damage to the country’s infrastructure, its agricultural production and its economy thus slowing its progress towards resilience and adaptation. Jordan’s demographic growth and the influx of refugees put further pressure on its water resources.

Groundwater resources are largely overexploited, and their levels have greatly declined causing an increase in salinity. Basic access to drinking water is guaranteed to almost all urban and rural populations, but water supply is intermittent and rationed in prevision of shortages. Moreover, the proportion of non-revenue water reaches 50%, mostly due to leakages and illegal pumping and a large proportion of domestic water supply comes from overused groundwater.

The National Water Strategy 2023-2040 emphasises institutional issues including overlaps and conflicting responsibilities, insufficient enforcement measures and lack of coordination.

Lastly, being dependent on transboundary surface water, Jordan is exposed to geopolitical stakes impacting its neighbouring countries.

Jordan’s crisis response: impact on the water sector

Since 2011, Jordan has been affected by the Syria crisis in terms of refugee influx, which has exacerbated the vulnerability of its water sector. The country published a response plan for 2020-2022 which was extended to 2023. An update for 2024-2026 is in development.

The Jordan Response Plan (JRP) 2020-2023 analyses the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector situation in regard to vulnerability and response capacity, assesses the impact of the Syria crisis, and estimates the budget requirements to face said crisis.

Key highlights of the JRP 2020-2023 are as follows:

• WASH-specific response aims to be as extended and comprehensive as possible in order to improve conditions for Syrian refugees in camps and vulnerable communities spread across the country.

• Provision of WASH interventions begin with water and wastewater infrastructure construction, transitions from communal to household provision, and balances reducing the strain on water resources while working towards water system sustainability.
• Urgent action includes reducing water loss, improving sanitation, unblocking sewage and ensuring equitable access to water.
• Identified critical impact on the water sector includes:
  • +40% annual water demand in northern governorates (most affected by the Syrian crisis).
  • Water financial cost in host community needs is over $60 million.
  • Increase in water demand has caused over-abstraction which in turn has worsen groundwater quality (salinity and chemical contamination).

According to the Funding Status for Jordan Response Plan 2023, less than 30% of budget requirements were met by funding, and only $28 million were allocated to the WASH sector.

Climate change adaptation actions for the water sector

Jordan’s First National Adaptation Plan of 2022 provides seven work programmes for the adaptation of the water resources management sector.

Each programme provides a set of measures aiming to enhance sustainable water demand and supply through climate resilience.

These measures include:

• A structural approach for climate resilience at the legal, policy and institutional levels.
• Implementing new technologies for groundwater recharge and rehabilitate water networks to reduce non-revenue water loss.
• Conducting studies, mapping, planning, building capacity and enhancing community engagement to ensure adaptation of water utilities.
• Promoting and support multisectoral water harvesting, saving, reclamation and conservation to improve water use efficiency.
• National contribution to non-conventional water sources, wastewater treatment, desalination, harvesting and water substitution in local, rural and vulnerable contexts.

• Improving risk management through meteorological forecasting capacity building, flood mitigation infrastructure, flood risk mapping, developing tools and technology to balance water demand and supply and reduce evaporation in surface water.
• Supporting watershed and basin level management of national and transboundary water resources through vulnerability assessments, restoration, protection and contamination prevention.

Within the Unite Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Jordan has submitted four National Communications (NC) and one Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and its subsequent update.

The official publications are available here:

• First National Communication of 1997
• Second National Communication of 2009
• Third National Communication of 2014
• Fourth National Communication of 2022
• First Nationally Determined Contribution (updated 2021)

Jordan also published its National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) for 2022-2050. The document updates the NCCP 2013-2020 serving as a framework for all national strategic plans and NDCs.