Jordan is considered to be one of the 10 most water-deprived countries in the world. It is making every effort to cooperate with neighboring countries that control or share much of the available water resources. But, as Jordan aspires to raise the quality and standard of living of Jordanians, it must expand the commercial, industrial, and tourism sectors, thereby putting additional stress on the country’s already stretched water resources.

There are limited options for what can be done to augment the water supply needed for Jordan's rapidly growing population and ambitious economic development goals. The most viable short-term options are to manage its water demand to more effectively use the current water supply, and embrace water-use efficiency throughout the country. Past attempts in water demand management by the government, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other donors have had an undeniable impact and yielded many lessons, but have not been sustained by the government or the private sector. Limited resources and commitment were among the reasons, but the lack of integration of water demand management into an institutional context was their undoing.

IDARA directly tackles that weakness. It focuses on three areas of intervention—building institutional capacity, creating an enabling environment, and conducting activities that demonstrate effective water-demand management. These activities are changing standard operating procedures, creating a critical mass of expertise, revising public thinking about what can be achieved through the effective management of water, and promoting public-private initiatives for the implementation of best water-saving practices.

Jordan IDARA Fact Sheets

IDARA Fact Sheets