Based on my knowledge, which has accumulated due to my serious follow-ups with distinguished specialists known for their credibility over many long decades, my beloved homeland does not suffer from a scarcity in resources, ever, rather (suffers from a scarcity of water) if we exclude deep groundwater, or deep waters (Deep Water), which are located at great depths reaching up to (1500) meters underground.
As for other natural resources, many experts and specialists have repeatedly confirmed that Jordan is rich in numerous natural resources, such as oil, gas, silicon, copper, gold, uranium, iron, and other natural resources that have not been exploited, and perhaps will not be exploited, as allowing their exploitation is linked to solving the Palestinian issue, keeping Jordan in need and scarcity, until God wills. The Dead Sea waters contain (21) minerals that have not been exploited, with only potash and bromine being utilized. To confirm this, sales of the company (Dead Sea Works) west of the Dead Sea reached (3) billion dollars in 2005, and I expect it now has exceeded (6) billion dollars.
To reiterate, I repeat what I mentioned more than once, that I met the Arab-origin space scientist, Dr. / Farouk El-Baz, in Abu Dhabi in 1978, during a scientific lecture. When I asked him a bold question, he hesitated, did not answer me in front of the audience, and asked to meet him after the lecture, and I did meet him, and to be brief: He confirmed to me that Jordan has many natural resources including oil, and he requested that astronauts photograph all Arab countries including Jordan. The topographic images confirmed this, and he confirmed that he visited Jordan and handed over what he had of maps and data to the responsible entity. He also affirmed the abundance of water in Jordan and said: There are two seas with clashing waves, one in the Disi area — discovered after (10) years — and the other is located between the regions of Qatrana and Areinbeh.
Now, we observe that there is a governmental movement, which is heartening, to alleviate our suffering from water scarcity. These measures are represented by effective solutions, God willing, which include:—
1)) Reaching an understanding with sister Syria to obtain a fair share for Jordan from the Yarmouk River waters, and the Al-Wehda Dam:— where they officially launched a few days ago, (the Shared Water Platform), and (Updating the Hydropolitical Study of the Yarmouk River). The agreement aims to ensure a fair sharing of the Wadi Yarmouk waters and to activate previous agreements to enhance water security, especially regarding securing Jordan’s share from the Al-Wehda Dam, which has a capacity of (115) million cubic meters, an important step to enhance technical cooperation and manage the water file as a strategic priority.
2)) Launching the National Carrier Project:— a very important project to address water scarcity in the nation, where (300) million cubic meters of desalinated water from the Red Sea in Aqaba will be desalinated, and transported to Amman, on a pipeline that extends up to (450) km, and will provide about (40%) of the drinking water needs of the kingdom, when water pumping begins in 2030, holding the utmost priority to enhance national water security. Despite its high cost which amounts to (5.8) billion dollars, and despite the high cost of a cubic meter of water
which amounts to (2.7) dollars per cubic meter.
3)) Water loss:— Oh, if we only considered reducing water loss, which amounts to about (200) million cubic meters annually, which results from two causes: First, the decay of networks, and second, thefts and assaults.
I hope that the esteemed readers hope, wish, and dream with me about how the water situation in our beloved homeland will be after (4) years, if we reach an agreement with sister Syria, and obtained about (60) million cubic meters. Accomplished the National Carrier and obtained (300) million cubic meters of water, and worked diligently and attentively to reduce the loss rate even to half, and obtained (100) million cubic meters of water, and the capacity of the eleven main dams amounts to about (325) million cubic meters, this apart from what the wells produce, and what the earthen dams, which number over (630) contain with a capacity of about (50) million cubic meters of water.
Thus, the estimated annual total of water in Jordan would be as follows:—
60m from Syria + 300m National Carrier + 100m from reducing the loss + 325m dam capacity + 50m dam capacity = 835 million cubic meters total amount.
Imagine if the total amount of water becomes about (835) million cubic meters, this apart from other water sources such as wells and others. Jordan consumes about (1053) million cubic meters of water annually for all sectors such as: drinking water, water for agricultural purposes, and water for industrial purposes.
If that happened, the individual's share of water annually would be about (105) cubic meters, instead of (61) cubic meters, ranking it the second poorest water country in the world, and it is expected to fall to (43) cubic meters annually. While the globally accepted individual water share is (500) cubic meters annually. Specialists also predicted that the National Carrier alone would change the pumping duration from (1) day a week to (3) days a week, which is a very good leap.
Jordan's water suffering stems from (internal reasons) represented in not addressing the escalation of the problem early, and finding strategic solutions. There are also (external reasons) due to the many migrations that Jordan suffered when it harbored siblings fleeing from wars and internal conflicts.
The problem is that I lived the village life in Zuheim / Karak, my birthplace when we depended on (the collective well) for water, before we got water through pipes. Then I moved to study in the great Iraq, and lived a life of water abundance. I also lived in water abundance in Abu Dhabi for (20) years continuously where water pumping does not stop.
And I returned to poverty and water scarcity (31) years ago when I returned to my homeland to settle in it. Hoping to return to experiencing water abundance again. And I hope that my country moves from a state of (scarcity) of water to (abundance) or (prosperity) of water. Hoping to witness this day before I am called to the Almighty.
Let us hope, because hope is all we have. And I conclude with a verse by the poet / Moayyad al-Din Abu Ismail Al-Hussein bin Ali bin Mohammed al-Tughrai Al-Isfahani, who says:—
I console my soul with hopes I look forward to / How narrow is life without the expanse of hope.
