Project profile — Addressing Water Needs in Host Communities in Jordan

• Jordan (100.00%)

• Water sector policy and administrative management:
Water sector policy and administrative management (14010) (30.00%)
Water resources conservation (including data collection) (14015) (70.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (principal objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (significant objective)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project aims to provide long-term sustainability of water supply in two of Jordan's northern governorates (Zarqa and Balqa). It seeks to address the recurrent malfunctions and unreliable supply of the water network through the rehabilitation of existing water infrastructure. In addition, the project is training heads of households, especially women, and community leaders on the use of utilities and better water management.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased reliability of water supply in the Zarqa community; (2) increased participation of Zarqa and Balqa communities, especially women, in efficient water management; and (3) improved accountability mechanisms for water management and governance, which take into account population needs, especially women’s needs, in the targeted communities.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (October 2018) include: (1) improved the water supply system for 1,535 families (of which 8,742 were direct beneficiaries) and reduced leaks and malfunctions in domestic water networks in the Zarqa Governorate from 48% to 12.4%. Rehabilitation of the water system in Naqab and the teacher housing was successfully completed and handed over to Jordan Water Authority in 2018. This included the installation of 14 km of water pipes and 1,117 new domestic water meters; (2) two assessments were conducted on water quantity (in 2015) and on water quality (in 2018) to define training and equipment needs and priorities for Miyahuna and WAJ staff in Zarqa and Balqa governorate. The skills of 94 water utility employees have improved through two training sessions on operation and maintenance (17 participants), two training sessions on water quality testing and analysis (30 participants), and two training sessions on accountability (47 participants); (3) 870 trained women are applying their newfound knowledge of sustainable water management at the household level, including through the multiple use of water, the use of water saving devices and other practices. This new knowledge is expected to reach over 5,594 people; (4) 21 community water groups have fulfilled their water management mandates and established relationships with local water management officials and other local water-related actors; (5) 14 group awareness sessions for 478 women were carried out; (6) 13 gender water ambassadors were selected and trained through women-only sessions to promote gender responsive water management in their community. These ambassadors shared their knowledge with 870 households, 250 students and 19 teachers through awareness sessions that reached 1,617 beneficiaries and 5,594 indirect beneficiaries; and (7) the accountability mechanisms in WAJ and Miyahuna have been improved, including managing customers’ data, responding to complaints and other areas of services. This was achieved through two training sessions provided on accountability (47 staff) and material support.

• Proactive disclosure