Zoo, two nurseries caught 'stealing thousands of cubic metres of water'

AMMAN — Authorities late last week discovered three major violations on water resources, under which a zoo and two nurseries in south Amman were stealing thousands of cubic metres every day, an official at the Water Ministry said on Saturday.

A team from the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) and the Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna) discovered that the zoo, located in the Yadoodeh area in the capital's south, was diverting water around-the-clock from a main to a 200-cubic-metre well inside the zoo, said the official, who preferred anonymity.

“The stolen water was being used to cover the entire zoo's water needs and irrigate its green areas, and some of the nearby shops even benefited from the stolen water,” the official told The Jordan Times.

The violator was identified and referred to the water illegal usage committee for estimating the amount and price of the stolen water, the official said, highlighting that the zoo has been stealing water for a long time now.

Also in Yadoodeh, while carrying out a regular survey, authorities discovered that a nursery has been diverting water from a main via a 2.54cm illegal pipe to irrigate 10 dunums and 25 greenhouses around-the-olock.

“The same committee estimated that thousands of cubic metres of water have been stolen and estimated the price of the stolen water at JD40,000. The violator has been referred for legal action,” the official noted.

In the third violation, the owner of another nursery, located in Safout in the south of Amman, was found to be diverting water from a pipeline to a large pond inside the nursery.

The stolen water was being used for the irrigation of two dunums and several greenhouses, the official said, highlighting that violators were referred for legal action after the amount and price of the stolen water was estimated.

Under amendments introduced to the WAJ Law, 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, 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 WAJ water and wastewater projects will be jailed for up to three years and fined up to JD5,000.

All penalties stipulated under the law will be doubled in the case of repeat offenders. Article 31 of the legislation classifies water conveyance schemes and pipes as “strategic, vital projects”.

Water theft and illegal uses constitute around 70 per cent of water loss in Jordan, with 1 million cubic metres of water lost for each 1 per cent, according to the Water Ministry. 

Water loss costs the country around $1 million, the ministry said, adding that such practices also affect groundwater.