Cracking down on water theft

Despite a determined effort by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation to combat water theft in the country, the problem persists. 

This week alone, authorities discovered several violations on the water network in the Amman, Ajloun and Balqa governorates, under which a total of 15,000 cubic metres of water were being stolen daily.

The Water Authority of Jordan and the Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna) were conducting an inspection campaign on pipes in Um Al Amad, south of the capital, when they discovered illegal fixtures on a water main that were diverting water to a farm and a villa to irrigate trees and crops planted on 100 dunums. 

The perpetrators even built large reservoirs to store the stolen water and sell it to people via tankers.

In Balqa Governorate, the owner of a large farm had drilled an illegal well and deployed guards and dogs in front of the gates, with water inspectors being denied entry.

The authorities also dismantled illegal fixtures that were diverting water to a well in Ajloun Governorate.

The violations were discovered under a nationwide crackdown, which was launched in July 2013.

Since then, over 644 illegal wells have been sealed, more than 159 drilling rigs seized and confiscated, and some 16,072 illegal fixtures on water pipes dismantled.  

These infringements persist despite amendments to the Water Authority of Jordan Law that increased penalties on violators. 

According to official figures, water theft accounts for 70 per cent of all water lost in the Kingdom, one of the poorest countries of the world when it comes to water resources.

Given that many parts of the country still suffer from an inadequate supply of water, it is high time that the campaign against water theft be spiked considerably in order to have a greater impact on those who exploit the precious commodity. 

The authorities should encourage the public to report any act of piracy on water pipes in the country and stiffen penalties against violators even more in a bid to end this crisis. 

It is simply unacceptable that some people still feel free to help themselves to water from mains without paying for it. Such people must be brought to justice and their trials be given high publicity in order to drive home the message that the government is serious about holding violators accountable for their crimes.

The Amman Court of First Instance set the ball rolling earlier this month by sentencing a man to three-and-a-half years in prison and fining him JD333,000  for stealing water.
The Water Ministry said the ruling was unprecedented in the history of the water sector.