Economic development has always relied on water, and Jordan’s supply was strained to the limit. The problem was well known, but addressing it required a major shift in attitudes and actions. In just five years, AED’s Water Efficiency and Public Information for Action (WEPIA) program, funded by USAID, encouraged changes so widespread that predictions were that Jordan could reduce residential, commercial, and portions of public sector water consumption by at least 18%. WEPIA created a water-efficient culture, and along the way opened up new economic opportunities.
Initial research revealed that Jordanians were among the world’s most careful water consumers and did not believe they could do anything more about the water shortage. Few knew about water-saving devices and other efficiency measures that would help. AED developed a coalition of almost one hundred representatives from all segments of Jordanian society — education, the media, government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector — to inform the public and generate action.
Creating an Innovative Water-saving Workforce
Jordanians began to see messages everywhere on how and why to conserve water. In schools, city streets, mass media, and even in mosques, they learned that by saving water they also could save money, a powerful motivator. These social marketing messages created a demand for water-saving technologies. Still needed was a workforce to supply it. Besides developing a cadre of water management professionals, the WEPIA coalition prepared low-income women to conduct water audits and sell water-saving devices. Approaching only female family and friends, over one hundred women plumbers fixed leaking pipes and sold devices such as aerators, low-flow shower heads and toilet modifications devices. WEPIA converted the water infrastructure of every home in one village. Abdussalam Hrout, Governor of Karak noted, “Installing water and energy efficient systems in every household lowered families’ water and energy bills and provided a new source of income for many.”
Reaching Large-scale Water Users, Farmers, and the Next Generation
The impact of WEPIA is both profound and long lasting. More than half of the country’s largest water consumers — primarily commercial and institutional facilities — have retrofitted with water-saving systems. Parks and gardens are newly planted with low-water consuming landscaping. There are new school curricula in water management, new national plumbing codes, and the region’s first master’s degree in water demand management.
Primarily an urban program, WEPIA also issued 95 grants to rural farm cooperatives and socieites, helping farmers reduce water expenses or increase their income. One female farmer, Umm Badee, says “WEPIA helped me get a tank and pool to collect rainwater. Now I have no problem irrigating crops and giving water to my sheep and goats. My financial situation is much better than it ever was.” Her experience — of realizing a better life from better use of water — is now commonplace throughout the country.
