LOC19:15
16:15 GMT
AMMAN, Jan 21 (KUNA) -- Jordanian authorities on Wednesday warned of the
decrease of the per capita water share to 104 square metres by 2025, in
comparison to 145 square metres at the time being, due to the current rise in
the population of 2.2 percent.
The continued rise of 3.6 percent in the overall birth rate according to a
study conducted by the Higher Population Council in cooperation with the
Jordanian Ministry of Water, will lessen the per capita share of water by 48
percent, said the council's Secretary General Raeda Al-Qutob.
The country's Ministry of Water and Irrigation had earlier said that the
per capita share of water had drastically decreased from 3600 square metres in
1946 to less than 150 square metres in 2008 which represents a drop of over 96
percent.
The ministry expected that the demand of water would increase by 2020 to
1671 million square metres as a result of the increasing population predicted
to rise from 5.6 million to seven million.
Jordan is considered to be one of the world's most poorest nations in water
resources and is currently carrying out huge projects to tackle the issue of
water shortage namely; the "Two Seas Canal" project which would cause the
drifting of water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea which runs through the
country.
Another project Jordan has considered is a nuclear reactor which provides
electric and hydropower. (end)
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KUNA 211915 Jan 09NNNN