AMMAN — The
Ministry of Water has announced an extension of
the deadline for submitting financial and technical proposals for the
National Water Carrier Project.
اضافة اعلان
According to the
ministry's spokesperson, Omar Salama, two
coalitions had withdrawn from the bidding process, with one failing to submit
the necessary technical and financial proposals. The other coalition did not
meet the project's required specifications.
As a result, three out of the initial five coalitions remain
eligible to carry out the project, Al-Mamlaka TV reported.
These developments prompted the ministry to extend the
deadline until the end of this year, providing an opportunity for interested
bidders to submit their offers in December.
The extension aims to obtain competitive prices and ensure
the project's implementation within the specified requirements and timeframe.
Cost considerations and economic conditions
Explaining the reasons behind the extension, Salama emphasized
the high cost of the
National Water Carrier Project and the current economic
conditions.
The project, estimated at around JD2.5 billion, requires substantial
funding. Salama further stated that the project is a crucial national strategic
endeavor aimed at ensuring water security for Jordan.
Minister of Water and Irrigation, Mohammad Al-Najjar, said
in a previous statement that the deadline for submitting bids was extended
until December to give developers sufficient time to submit comprehensive
technical and financial offers based on the request of the qualified coalitions
to implement the project.
According to the executive program for the Economic Modernization
Vision of the Ministry of Water, it was planned to receive bids for the
implementation of the National Water Carrier Project on March 31, 2022 and
select the preferred tenderer to implement the project in May before extending
the deadline to July.
Water supply timeline
Once completed, the National Water Carrier Project will play
a vital role in addressing water scarcity in Jordan.
The project involves desalinating water from the Red Sea in
Aqaba and supplying it to various governorates, including the capital city,
Amman.
The ministry has set a target for the water supply to
commence in 2027.
International support and financing
The national water carrier project has received substantial
commitments from countries and donor organizations.
The total value of commitments, including grants and loans,
has surpassed $2.4 billion, as reported by the Ministry of Planning and
International Cooperation.
This support reflects the recognition of Jordan's water
scarcity challenges and the importance of improving water supply efficiency.
Jordan faces severe water scarcity, with an annual per
capita availability of only 97 cubic meters. This figure falls well below the
threshold of 500 cubic meters per capita annually, indicating absolute water
scarcity.
The country's land area, more than 92 percent of which is
classified as semi-arid or arid, receives less than 200mm of rainfall each
year.
Population growth resulting from natural increase and the
influx of refugees has further strained water resources in Jordan.
The country currently hosts approximately 1.3 million Syrian
refugees, constituting 20 percent of Jordan's pre-Syrian crisis population.
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