Jordan and Water: From Nature's Thirst to Injustice - Hala Murad
Hala Murad
Jordan and Water: From Nature's Thirst to Injustice - Hala Murad
Considered one of the world's most water-poor countries, compared to the global water poverty line of 500 cubic meters per capita per year, Jordan's per capita annual share does not exceed 61 cubic meters. The water crisis in Jordan does not appear to be solely the result of harsh climate or scarce resources. It is deeply rooted in an unfair distribution structure, fragile governance, and a weak recognition of water as a fundamental human right.
The right to water, as defined by the UN and its Human Rights Council (HRC), is not a service but an existential necessity, a condition for dignity and stability, and an essential component of social and environmental justice. When people do not have sufficient safe water, their other rights gradually erode. In this context, water is an environmental resource, a determinant of justice and class inequality, and a measure of equality between the center and the periphery. The Dublin Principles emphasize that water is both an economic and social resource. It must be managed fairly and transparently, taking into account the rights of the poor and marginalized, rather than being reduced to consumption figures and network coverage.
Jordan's water crisis is not separate from the broader Arab context. The Arab region is considered one of the most water-sensitive regions in the world. According to regional reports, 19 of the 22 Arab countries fall below the annual water scarcity line, and 13 fall below the absolute scarcity level. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2023) confirms that countries in the region are experiencing increasing drought frequency, declining precipitation rates, salinization of groundwater, and persistent global warming, threatening water and food security.
Among these dire situations, the Jordanian case stands out as a complex model, in which the scarcity of natural resources intersects not only with climate change but also with governance failures, disparities in access, and chronic politicization of resources—according to the Jordan Meteorological Department, the last rainy season (2024–2025) witnessed a decline in rainfall of between 35 and 50% compared to annual averages. As a result, dam storage decreased to approximately 97 million cubic meters (MCM) from the total capacity of 288 MCM of Jordan's dams.
As a manifestation of climate change, the event was not exceptional. It was one of those impacts that are no longer hypothetical or postponed. The 2022 ESCWA report places Jordan among the Arab countries most vulnerable to drought and declining groundwater resources, while the Jordanian National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2023–2030) shows that drought ranks third among the most dangerous natural hazards affecting the country.
The problem is not limited to declining rainfall or declining storage. According to a study, groundwater aquifers, which provide more than 60% of Jordan's drinking water, are depleted at 200% of their annual replenishment rate (Bdour et al., 2023). Without effective adaptation policies and real alternatives, overreliance on these resources threatens future generations and their right to water.
Although the Ministry of Water indicates that more than 94% of the population is connected to water networks, this percentage masks a significant disparity in geographic and social justice. In villages and the desert, water is cut off for weeks, and residents are forced to purchase it via private tankers at prices reaching 15 dinars per cubic meter—an unaffordable figure for a poor family whose daily income is barely enough to meet basic needs.
The conundrum is evident in Ajloun Governorate, which records the highest rainfall rates in the Kingdom yet suffers from a perennial water shortage due to the absence of centralized water harvesting projects, weak infrastructure, and an unsustainable reliance on emergency solutions such as renting water tankers to distribute water "as needed."
While seemingly a necessary response, these solutions perpetuate a reality of inequality and place citizens at the mercy of the market and circumstance, rather than building sustainable systems and rights based on equality.
The crisis is not limited to domestic use; it also profoundly affects the agricultural sector, which consumes more than half the available water resources. However, Jordanian agriculture does not produce enough to secure the national food basket. Monitored data from FAO and climate projections indicate that changes in water quantity and quality due to climate change are expected to jeopardize food security and increase the vulnerability of poor rural producers, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions like Jordan.
Many small farmers have been forced to reduce production or purchase water at high commercial prices. This situation leads to higher local production costs, reduced profitability, and increased import dependence. While large investors obtain sufficient water to irrigate export crops, local and small farmers suffer from drought and debt. In the Jordan Valley, farmers complain that their water allocations are reduced by more than half in the summer, affecting the quality of production and threatening the sustainability of the sector as a whole.
Reform attempts have not been without community initiatives, such as water user associations, which the government has tasked with distributing irrigation water in the Jordan Valley.
Although this experiment represents a promising model for participatory management, weak oversight, insufficient quantities already delivered, and disparity in resources among the associations have led to inequitable distribution. Indeed, some associations face accusations from farmers of unfairness, while the authorities respond by stating that distribution is based on resources. However, the reality tells a different story: small farmers are dying of thirst, while export farms are irrigated with abundant water.
The water crisis in Jordan is exacerbated by the scarcity of natural resources/climate change, and a fundamental flaw in the water governance system. At its core, governance is managing resources efficiently and fairly by coordinating relevant institutions, ensuring transparent decisions, and holding responsible parties accountable. However, the reality of governance in Jordan is marred by a multiplicity of authorities and overlapping powers between institutions such as the Ministry of Water, the Water Authority, and the Jordan Valley Authority, leading to fragmented efforts and widespread administrative chaos. This fragmentation hinders the development of unified policies, weakens the government's ability to respond to crises, and creates gaps in water distribution among different groups and regions.
The absence of a coherent governance framework, coupled with weak mechanisms for community participation in decision-making, marginalizes the voices of the poor and marginalized, who suffer most from water scarcity, and empowers elites and institutions to control resources without adequate oversight. The result is that water distribution is often subject to the logic of economic and political interests, far removed from the principles of social justice and the human right to safe and sufficient water. There are no clear indications of effective oversight and accountability mechanisms to control water abuse or protect resources from depletion. The result is exacerbating unsustainable consumption and threatening future generations. Furthermore, the delay in updating laws and regulating the sector to keep pace with modern governance requirements deepens disparities in access to water and perpetuates inequality.
For example, the experiences of community associations in distributing irrigation water, despite their value, do not compensate for the lack of comprehensive sector regulation, nor do they eliminate the impact of weak government coordination. There remains an urgent need to enhance transparency, unify powers, and open genuine channels for public participation to build a water governance system that reflects justice and addresses sustainability challenges.
In terms of planning, despite an ambitious national strategy until 2040 that includes major projects such as the "National Water Carrier," these projects will not make a difference before 2030 and remain subject to external funding and political circumstances. Meanwhile, the state neglects small, effective investments such as rainwater harvesting, supporting farmers with modern irrigation technologies, or promoting the reuse of graywater.
Ultimately, water in Jordan is no longer just a matter of scarcity. It has become a mirror that reveals the deep gap between policies and societies, between planning and reality, and between those who receive water as a privilege and those who lack it as a right. The path to water justice begins with constitutional recognition that water is not a commodity, but life. A drop of water distributed fairly means a meal, education, health, stability, and ultimately, social security, which can be discussed in another article.
References:
● Bdour, M., Alnaief, M., Rabaiah, S., & Schweimanns, N. (2023). Water Resources in Jordan: A Review of Current Challenges and Future Opportunities. Water, 15(21), 3729.
● UN-Water (2023), World Water Development Report.
● ESCWA (2022). Arab Region & Climate Change .
● FAO (2025). Climate-smart agriculture practices.
● وزارة المياه والري الأردنية (2025). تقرير واقع قطاع المياه.
● الهياجنة، عبد الناصر (2025). القانون البيئي الأردني. دار الثقافة.
Recent publications
