Balqa resident caught stealing 400 cubic metres of water per day

AMMAN — The Ministry of Water and Irrigation on Wednesday dismantled an illegal pipe in Balqa Governorate that was diverting 12,000 cubic metres of water monthly to a household, according to a government official.

A man who owns water tankers installed the pipe on a main conveyor that supplies water to the Balqa Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre, said the official, who preferred to remain unnamed.

“The man installed a 100-metre-long pipe to pump water from the conveyor to a well in his house. He had a pump attached to the well to fill his tankers and sell the water to people,” the official told The Jordan Times.

Noting that 400 cubic metres of water were being stolen every day from the conveyor, the official said a team comprising Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) and Public Security Department personnel headed to the site after receiving a tip from one of the area residents.

“They identified the perpetrator as well as those who helped him extend the illegal pipe, fill the tankers and sell or buy the stolen water,” the official said.

The amended WAJ Law imposes stiffer penalties against those who abuse any element of the water system.

The law stipulates that those who abuse water carriers and mains; wastewater, pumping, purification or desalination stations; or cause the pollution of water resources, pipes or stations used for drinking water; and dig or are involved in the digging of wells without obtaining a licence will be jailed for up to five years and fined up to JD7,000.

In addition, violators of water and wastewater projects will be jailed for up to three years and fined up to JD5,000, according to the legislation.

All penalties under the new law are doubled in the case of repeat offences.

The government official said the ministry will carry on with its campaign to end all violations on the water network and resources, underscoring that more breaches will be uncovered soon as the ministry starts applying satellite remote sensing to detect violations on water resources.