Jordan is facing a 50 percent water deficit this summer and will hold high-level talks with Syria next week to obtain an emergency supply of the precious liquid, the water minister said Monday, July 9.
"Talks are underway with our Syrian brothers aimed at providing Jordan with additional water supplies ... and high-level meetings will take place next week for that purpose," Hazem Al-Nasser told Al-Dustour newspaper.
"This summer Jordan is facing a water deficit of 50 percent" because the level of water from the Yarmuk River that flows into the King Abdullah dam has gone down, Nasser said in an interview.
The largely desert kingdom of Jordan has suffered from chronic water shortages as a result of drought that has affected the country since 1996.
Earlier this year Jordan issued international tenders to build Al-Wehda dam, a joint effort with Syria on the Yarmuk River which has its source in Syria and flows into Jordan.
The dam will create a reservoir with a capacity of 220 million cubic meters (7.8 billion cubic feet), which will be equally shared by the two countries.
Last year Syria, which is likewise suffering from water shortages, pumped 3.5 million cubic meters (122.5 million cubic feet) of water to Jordan from August to help it handle its water demands. ― (AFP, Dubai)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
