Israel, Jordan, Palestinians signed Water sharing Deal

December 16, 2013

Mid-East governments (Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians) signed a historic trilateral agreement at the World Bank in Washington, which outlines regional water-sharing initiatives from the Red Sea to Dead Sea to relieve shortages in the waterless lands.
The Dead Sea has unique water properties like humans can float naturally on the surface, etc. Owing to human intervention, the sea is depleting 1m (3.3ft) a year. Thus, in order to save the Dead Sea, a pipeline will built on the Jordanian side of the Aqaba Gulf to carry sea water from a desalination plant at the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, while providing drinking water to the region.
The plan attributes the development of a desalination plant in Aqaba that will produce water to be shared with Israel, increased water quotas to Jordan from Israel’s Sea of Galilee and the sale of waters made potable and salt-free from Israel to the Palestinians.
The deal is an outcome of the cooperation since 2005 among Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority on the Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance Study Program. Expected cost of the project is $250m-$400m.
The Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance Study Program will help to save the Dead Sea; supply water and develop hydro-electricity; and bring out strategic, political and economic cooperation.

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