‘Gov’t has no plans to impose new water taxes, increase tariffs’ 

AMMAN — The Ministry of Water and Irrigation has no plans to imposing fresh water taxes or charges as it establishes a new unit which will be, in the near future, the foundation of a water regulatory commission, Water Minister Raed Abul Saud said on Wednesday.

Setting up the planned commission seeks to improve the water supply and the wastewater services, and elevate the quality of water-related services, Abul Saud said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times.

The minister made the clarification one day after his ministry announced that it was cooperating with the USAID and the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) to start studies for the creation of a unit, which will serve later as the core of a water regulatory commission.

Abul Saud said in a ministry statement that the commission will be established in cooperation with German and American donors to develop the water sector and services, adding: "Neither the State Treasury, nor the ministry will incur any additional costs for establishing this unit, which will be the core of a water regulatory commission in the future."

The ministry is now engaged in serious discussions with the USAID and the GIZ for the establishment of this unit, Abul Saud said.

“[The unit] will focus on realising the government’s ambitions to elevating the water and wastewater services, while at the same time reduce the Treasury’s financial commitments as donors will be extending the necessary financial aid via grants and assistance to pull this unit off…,” Abul Saud said in the statement.

Meanwhile, an official at ministry indicated that the unit will also coordinate work between the ministry and the water companies that the Water Authority of Jordan owns and also monitor the work of the water companies.

“The water minister has already issued instructions to the technical team tasked with setting up the unit to commence with needed administrative, legal, technical and financial measures, in coordination with the donors, to establish this unit soon,” the official told The Jordan Times.