Gov’t tightens campaign against water theft

AMMAN — The government is implementing intensive daily campaigns to combat water theft across the Kingdom, according to sources from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

The Ministry of Water told The Jordan Times that campaigns are “going well” in addressing water thefts and violations, stressing that inspection teams will continue their intensive inspection campaigns in all areas of the Kingdom to bring violators to justice.

The ministry works on removing illegal fixtures on main water lines to syphon off water as well as taking the necessary legal procedures.

Water loss in the Kingdom has reached 46 per cent, and water theft is a significant part of it, which happens due to “unbilled water”, according to the ministry.

Unbilled water comes as a result of water network losses or tampering with the water networks, as well as not paying water bills, the ministry indicated.

Twenty-two cases of water theft from public water mains in the Southern Jordan Valley and Ghor Al Safi, the Karak Governorate, were uncovered by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation inspection teams in September of this year, in cooperation with the Water Department in Karak, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Water theft has been a regular problem in the country. In 2013, the Ministry of Water launched a dedicated campaign to crack down on water violations. Between 2013 and 2017, over 30,000 violations on water mains and resources were prevented.