The Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) through the PMU, has successfully undertaken business improvement projects in Amman, Aqaba, NGWA (Ajloun, Jerash, Irbid, and Mafraq), the Middle Governorates (Balqa, Zarka and Madaba) and Karak Governorate as a precursor to providing greater local autonomy in the provision of water services. 

Two other Governorates in the Southern Region of Jordan – Tafielah and Ma'an - are in need of support, by way of a further business improvement project in parallel with the one to be undertaken in Karak. A feasibility study is required to determine an Immediate Measures Programme to define the scope of work and organizational requirements within the two Governorates to achieve the WAJ business improvement objectives, as well as the prioritized capital investment requirements, taking account of existing commitments and contributions. In addition, the prospects for, and the economic benefit from, grouping all three Southern Governorates (Karak, Tafielah and Ma'an) into a new Southern Governorates Water Authority may be undertaken in conjunction with one or other of these two projects, and may be the subject of a separate study.

Services in this region have suffered due to a lack of professional resources available to the local administration in managing services delivery.  The intention is to arrest the decline in infrastructure and its potential for impact on services delivery by implementing a repair and rehabilitation program and to improve the professional resource available.  It is expected that this will improve services delivery and ensure sustainability of the water services in the Region.

Non Revenue Water is very high in Ma'an, in the order of 60 percent; whilst lower in Tafeilah at about 40 percent, the difference probably reflects a higher incidence of unauthorized usage in Ma'an.

The overall program will follow the established and proven approach used elsewhere in WAJ.  By increasing investment in the water services infrastructure and improving business efficiency of existing WAJ administrative units, WAJ has increasingly transferred authority to the local Administrations with the ultimate objective of greater private sector role in the management of water services.

Whilst the focus of the program will be the Governorates of Tafielah and Ma'an, it is considered that further economic benefit may be derived from restructuring the organization of services delivery in the wider region including Karak and the management of interface with WAJ through the creation of a Southern Governorates Water Administration.  

The feasibility study will define the main program parameters and the first order benefits to be obtained from the overall program and its components, and will provide a detailed scope of work for each of the components.

The following table includes performance data for the Southern Governorates.