Ministry launches $24m digital transformation to tackle water loss

AMMAN — The Ministry of Water and Irrigation on Sunday launched a $24 million digital transformation project to improve water supply efficiency and support the sector's strategic goal of reducing water loss.

The project inauguration was attended by Chief of Party of USAID's Building Water Infrastructure Programme Cecile Toupiol, alongside officials from the water sector, representatives from water companies Miyahuna, Aqaba, and Yarmouk, and other USAID representatives, according to a ministry statement. 

Secretary-General of the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) Wael Duwairi highlighted the importance of partnerships with USAID and the adoption of modern technologies to protect water resources and enhance operational and technical capabilities to improve the quality of water services delivered to citizens.

Duwairi stressed the critical role of operational digital transformation, highlighting that the project’s main objective is to provide real-time operational data for the water sector to enable remote monitoring and management of all water sources and systems across the Kingdom.

Topel outlined the project’s key components, noting its expected impact over the next three years, including enhanced monitoring of water resources, reduced water loss, improved response times, lower operating and maintenance costs, and increased efficiency.

The project will also assess the water sector's need to develop advanced SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems. 

These systems aim to establish a unified, secure, and advanced digital framework for Jordan's water sector. 

By leveraging accurate and timely data, SCADA will enhance water distribution networks, ensuring fair and efficient distribution across the Kingdom, according to the statement.