The increasing amount of sewage sludge requires internationally practiced solutions to utilize the matter for economic purposes, said Mohammad Najjar, Minister of Water and Irrigation in a statement on Thursday.
The minister, during a meeting with Ministers of Agriculture and Environment Khaled Hneifat and Nabil Masarweh, European Union Representative Omar Abu Eid and Food and Agriculture Organization Representative to Jordan Nabil Assaf, said the status quo of the sanitation sector, which serves an increasingly large number of people, calls for highlighting the issue of biosolids, which are solid organic matter recovered from a sewage treatment process.
Sanitation, Najjar pointed out, is a major challenge that demands appropriate solutions in accordance with global reuse experiences, noting that biosolids are a vital economic resource that can be used to achieve economic gains in generating energy and cutting operational costs for some businesses.
The ministry’s strategy focuses on preserving the environment, protecting water resources and public health, and providing advanced services to citizens in the water and sanitation sectors, with an aim of providing an appropriate environment for investments, he stated.
He underscored that the ministry is taking into consideration the use of modern scientific techniques and advanced technological methods to ensure the optimal utilization of water of all kinds and the disposal of sewage sludge, especially treated water from purification plants, as an increasing source of water for the purposes of restricted agriculture.
The Minister of Agriculture pointed to the importance of utilizing treated water and biological treatment wastes in the afforestation project as part of the national afforestation plan, which will have a major environmental impact, underlining the need to expand green areas, combat desertification, and utilize treated water in afforestation, which has an economic impact.
The Minister of Environment highlighted commitment to support any projects implemented in the Badia area and the Water Ministry’s pursuit to develop sustainable environmental solutions. Masarweh also stressed the complementing roles of the three ministries within the government’s plans to improve the environmental, economic and service status quo.
Food and Agriculture Organization Representative to Jordan Nabil Assaf said the UN organization is ready to put in place all capabilities and expertise to make the Jordanian government’s efforts succeed through the relevant ministries.
Source: Jordan News Agency