Water Reallocation and Reuse Policy.

This sectoral Policy is an integral part of the National Water Strategy 2016-2025. It is a national wide document aiming at a more efficient use of water resources through reusing treated wastewater in irrigation that enables freeing fresh water for municipal uses. The long-term goal is to achieve water security in the country. It also provides for: (i) using the treated wastewater in other economic activities; (ii) expanding collection and treatment of wastewater; (iii) updating and developing standards and practices for substituting fresh water used in irrigation by treated wastewater after blending it; (iv) decreasing the demand for groundwater; and (v) ensuring sustainability and protecting the environment and nature in applying these actions. The Policy takes into consideration different aspects of the sector that favor and improve its implementation, such as: (i) substitution priorities (high priority shall be given to Jordan Valley); (ii) institutional and administrative issues (i.e. tariff setting, choice of the right types of produce and best irrigation and marketing practices, monitoring programs, private sector participation, community based initiative organizations); (iii) resource management; (iv) legislation; (v) public awareness; and (vi) technology, research and development issues.
To make agriculture more productive and sustainable, the Policy proposes an increased use of treated wastewater for irrigation.
In order to enable a more inclusive agricultural system, community based initiative organizations and nongovernmental organizations will be part of the process.
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, given that the Policy is part of mitigation measures of the effect of climate change, shall be established an integrated approach to water resources management, combined with locally appropriate and sustainable risk reduction measures, and the active involvement of stakeholders from different sectors.
As for the Governance, it is needed the institutional support to these policies at all levels which include enforcement of a suitable legal framework and regulatory tools, enhancing efficient institutional capacities, and supporting dynamic management plans that adapt the concepts of participation and decentralization. In fact, although this Policy can be better implemented through centralized wastewater collection and treatment systems, the decentralized systems are needed to suit different locations. Local reuse systems should also accompany the decentralized systems.