Effective Small Desalination Plants in Remote Wadi Araba, Jordan

What does it take to make small desalination plants work in remote areas?

The groundwater in Wadi Araba in southern Jordan is salty and the region is isolated. Nevertheless, local communities and agriculture need water. The solution: small desalination plants that turn salty groundwater into usable water under difficult conditions.

At the same time, Wadi Araba is an ideal place to better understand how these small, locally operated desalination systems work. How efficiently are the plants operating? What technical and day-to-day challenges exist? And what support is needed to ensure long-term reliable operation?

To help answer these questions, technical teams carried out field visits to four desalination plants last week as part of a broader assessment covering 18 plants across Jordan. The findings will support water utilities in identifying needs and improving long-term plant management.

But desalination is not only about membranes and pumps. Long-term water security also depends on skilled staff and effective coordination across the sector.

This is why a coordination workshop was held this week in Aqaba, bringing together water sector leaders, engineers, laboratory specialists, and desalination experts. The workshop focused on discussing the assessment findings, exchanging practical experiences, and strengthening skills for future cooperation.

Technical assessment combined with exchange between partners helps us build a clearer understanding of current challenges and priorities and builds our collective spirit. Different institutions, one shared goal: strengthening Jordan’s water resilience.

A sincere thank you to all colleagues and partners who contributed to this mission and workshop.

The Strong Water Utilities project is implemented by GIZ Jordan and commissioned by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Through the SWU Project, GIZ continues to support the water sector by providing technical expertise, operational guidance, institutional support, and platforms for collaboration that connect stakeholders around shared solutions.

Trevor Surridge Motasem Abushaban, PhD Hala Shaheen
#WaterSecurity #InternationalCooperation #Jordan #WaterConservation

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