EU, EBRD announce 30 million euro deal to finance expansion of As Samra treatment plant

AMMAN — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the EU on Monday announced a 30-million-euro grant to support the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in expanding As Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The EU said in a statement, carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that it would provide the grant to finance EBRD’s investment in the expansion, and that the agreement is scheduled to be signed next year.

The As Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant serves the governorates of Amman and Zarqa, whose population of over 4 million is rapidly growing, according to the statement. 

Due to the high population growth, the plant is expected to reach its maximum capacity for wastewater treatment soon, and thanks to the project, the current treatment capacity of 365,000 cubic metres per day will increase by 100,000 cubic metres per day, the statement added.

The plant treats wastewater from the Zarqa River basin. The river drains most of its polluted water into the King Talal Dam, which provides water to farms in the Jordan Valley, causing environmental and health concerns, the statement said. 

The expansion of the plant will increase the quantity of treated wastewater available for reuse, particularly for irrigation purposes. It will also help increase on-site energy production by using treated sludge and biosolids, as well as through electricity generation from water flow, the statement pointed out.

The EBRD's project is designed to support the objectives of the Jordanian government and the Ministry of Water and Irrigation for increased capacity in municipal services, due to the Syrian refugee crisis, as well as to expand and improve water sanitation services to increase local communities’ resilience.

Jordan became an EBRD shareholder in 2012 and the EBRD has allocated more than 1 billion euros for 40 projects in various sectors of the economy, in addition to $120 million to facilities to finance commerce for local banks, the statement said.