The same scene returned with the last rainy low: floods, closures, water flows, and substantial valley runoff, and the government statements confirmed that the situation is under control, but the fundamental question that arises with every rainy trough remains unanswered
"Where is the Ministry of Water?"
We cannot deny the government measures represented by the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Local Administration, and their recent role in crisis management. However, their presence was lacking and lost developmental value due to the absence of the Ministry of Water in its pivotal technical role, which is represented in the advanced planning in managing rainwater, which is considered a strategic developmental resource, not just a transient rainy low. The Ministry of Water is not only responsible for water supply or reducing loss percentages in the summer season; it also bears responsibility for water harvesting, drainage, protecting water infrastructure, and maintaining streams and culverts before the winter season.
The Jordanian cities witnessed significant rainfall, which cannot be considered transient and uncommon, but has become a traditional approach focusing on the fastest possible water drainage, rather than investing in it relying on crisis management, not strategic management. If the government continues this approach, it is indicative of a flaw in their real vision in transitioning to resource management and utilizing the amounts of water that can enhance a strategic reserve supporting water security. This approach has become scientifically and developmentally unacceptable, and managing rainwater should not only focus on drainage networks and disposal of water within cities; it has become an important part of sustainable urban planning. The modern solutions from a sustainable development perspective can be formulated as follows:
First: Work and transition from drainage management to urban water harvesting, by building water collection tanks under roads and public squares, utilizing building rooftops to collect rainwater and directly connecting them to these tanks, and using them later for agricultural purposes and others, which contribute to the reduction of flood risks.
Second: Establishing green infrastructure, for example, replacing asphalt sidewalks with permeable pavements and creating rain gardens that help reduce surface runoff, aid groundwater replenishment, and reduce flooding.
Third: Risk modeling using digital models of geographical information systems to identify flash flood paths and determine rainfall rates, which contributes to identifying water investment opportunities.
Fourth: Institutional roles integration, the Ministry of Water must acknowledge its duty in technically managing the file in coordination with the Ministry of Local Administration and the Ministry of Public Works, within a scientific and national unified course for managing rainwater.
Fifth: Working to link rainwater management with sustainable development goals, especially the sixth and eleventh goals related to sustainable cities, so that water harvesting projects become part of urban planning in Jordan.
Therefore, rainwater should not be considered an emergency circumstance, but a national developmental opportunity for a water-scarce country.
