Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN1027
2009-05-04 11:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
DISI WATER PROJECT CONTINUES TO ENCOUNTER POTENTIAL
how-toVZCZCXYZ0031 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHAM #1027 1241102 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 041102Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5024 INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0621 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 4013 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 4164 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 2150 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1697 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 5502 RUEHLE/AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG 0024 RHMFIUU/HQ EPA WASHDC RUEHDOI/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHDC RUEHRC/USDA WASHDC
UNCLAS AMMAN 001027
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/RA, EEB, AND OES
STATE PASS TO USAID
STATE PASS TO OPIC
CAIRO FOR VIALA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EAGR PGOV PREL IS SA JO
SUBJECT: DISI WATER PROJECT CONTINUES TO ENCOUNTER POTENTIAL
OBSTACLES
REF: A. Amman 508
B. 08 Amman 3011
(U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION
UNCLAS AMMAN 001027
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/RA, EEB, AND OES
STATE PASS TO USAID
STATE PASS TO OPIC
CAIRO FOR VIALA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EAGR PGOV PREL IS SA JO
SUBJECT: DISI WATER PROJECT CONTINUES TO ENCOUNTER POTENTIAL
OBSTACLES
REF: A. Amman 508
B. 08 Amman 3011
(U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION
1. (SBU) The Disi water conveyance, one of Jordan's largest
infrastructure projects with a $800 million budget, proposes to
convey 100 million cubic meters (MCM) per year from the Disi fossil
aquifer on the Jordanian-Saudi Arabia border to Amman. Recent test
results indicate that Disi aquifer water, however, has higher than
average radioactivity levels, although the Ministry of Water and
Irrigation consistently asserts that it has the capability to test
for radioactivity and that Jordan's drinking water supply is safe.
The testing and publication of results were made possible through a
USAID Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) grant to Jordanian,
Israeli, and U.S. academic institutions for a quality study on the
radioactivity of water from seven wells in southern Jordan. The
full report, "High Naturally Occurring Radioactivity in Fossil
Groundwater from the Middle East," is available at
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es802969r .
2. (SBU) The water quality report generated some controversy at
the time of publication, but has not adversely affected the project.
Financing challenges, however, are attracting increasingly more
attention. GAMA, the Turkish company partially owned by General
Electric and awarded the project in 2008, has been grappling with
financing issues. Additionally, recent press reports indicate that
the European Investment Bank might be reevaluating its financing
commitment given reports of radioactivity as well as concerns about
Saudi Arabian concurrence to use the shared aquifer. (Note: Saudi
Arabia has long been using the aquifer for agriculture and mining
purposes. End Note.) Jordanian newspaper Al-Arab Al-Yawm noted
that participants in an April 26 meeting held in Paris for the Disi
project's financial closure have decided to wait until the
government clarifies a number of pending issues about the project,
most prominent of which is the "radioactive pollution" of the Disi
water.
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman
BEECROFT
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/RA, EEB, AND OES
STATE PASS TO USAID
STATE PASS TO OPIC
CAIRO FOR VIALA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EAGR PGOV PREL IS SA JO
SUBJECT: DISI WATER PROJECT CONTINUES TO ENCOUNTER POTENTIAL
OBSTACLES
REF: A. Amman 508
B. 08 Amman 3011
(U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION
1. (SBU) The Disi water conveyance, one of Jordan's largest
infrastructure projects with a $800 million budget, proposes to
convey 100 million cubic meters (MCM) per year from the Disi fossil
aquifer on the Jordanian-Saudi Arabia border to Amman. Recent test
results indicate that Disi aquifer water, however, has higher than
average radioactivity levels, although the Ministry of Water and
Irrigation consistently asserts that it has the capability to test
for radioactivity and that Jordan's drinking water supply is safe.
The testing and publication of results were made possible through a
USAID Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) grant to Jordanian,
Israeli, and U.S. academic institutions for a quality study on the
radioactivity of water from seven wells in southern Jordan. The
full report, "High Naturally Occurring Radioactivity in Fossil
Groundwater from the Middle East," is available at
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es802969r .
2. (SBU) The water quality report generated some controversy at
the time of publication, but has not adversely affected the project.
Financing challenges, however, are attracting increasingly more
attention. GAMA, the Turkish company partially owned by General
Electric and awarded the project in 2008, has been grappling with
financing issues. Additionally, recent press reports indicate that
the European Investment Bank might be reevaluating its financing
commitment given reports of radioactivity as well as concerns about
Saudi Arabian concurrence to use the shared aquifer. (Note: Saudi
Arabia has long been using the aquifer for agriculture and mining
purposes. End Note.) Jordanian newspaper Al-Arab Al-Yawm noted
that participants in an April 26 meeting held in Paris for the Disi
project's financial closure have decided to wait until the
government clarifies a number of pending issues about the project,
most prominent of which is the "radioactive pollution" of the Disi
water.
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman
BEECROFT