Ceremony marking World Water Day 2000 in Jordan

At a Ceremony Marking World Water Day and Earth Day 2000, A USAID-Funded Water Efficiency Project Was Launched in Jordan

April 23, 2000
U.S. Ambassador to Jordan William J. Burns and Minister of Water and Irrigation Dr. Kamel Mahadin today attended a ceremony held by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation under the patronage of H.E. the Prime Minister at the Royal Cultural Center to celebrate World Water Day and Earth Day 2000. The Ambassador took the opportunity to launch a new USAID-funded Water Efficiency and Public Information for Action (WEPIA) project. This three-year project is being implemented by the U.S. NGO the Academy for Educational Development in partnership with Jordanian organizations.

The project aims to promote the efficient use of water in Jordan with the goal of making efficient water-use a normal practice in all sectors of Jordanian society, especially by large water consumers such as hotels, hospitals, schools, industry, and the construction and engineering associations. One of the methods of promoting greater efficiency is the installation of water saving devices.

A team has been formed to assess water use in Jordan, focusing on large water users and the costs of installing water savings/water efficiency devices. The team consists of a core of seven Jordanians, each with a specific sectoral experience, including an economist, two water engineers, a marketing specialist, a public relations specialist, and a representative each from the Young Entrepreneurs Association and the Business and Professional Women’s Club.

Additional specialists on the core team include local manufacturers of plumbing devices, other businesspeople interested in supporting a new industrial sector in Jordan, government representatives, NGO partners and academic institutions working in this field. It will also include representatives from funding agencies such as the Investment Development Bank, international donors and private sector venture capital funding agencies.

In addition to the water saving device component, the project will also focus on broader public water information activities including media campaigns and school curriculum development.