From May 4 to 6, 2025, WATURA will be taking part in Arab Water Week (AWW), an event organized by ACWUA (Arab Countries Water Utilities Association). This biennial conference brings together over 500 public and private players in the water sector, including ministries, water utilities and private companies from the Arab world.
This edition of AWW will also mark the launch of the technical training platform in Arabic on water and sanitation, developed by WATURA as part of the project in collaboration with the WAJ (Water Authority of Jordan) financed by the French Treasury.
Project background: A strategic partnership for Jordan's water sector
In May 2024, WATURA applied to the French Treasury (Direction Générale du Trésor) for funding from the Fonds d’Études et d’Aide au Secteur Privé (FASEP). This funding is intended to support the launch of a technical training project in collaboration with the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ). This ambitious project takes place against a backdrop of water crisis in Jordan, where the management of this vital resource is a major challenge.
Challenges facing Jordan’s water sector
Jordan is one of the four most water-scarce countries in the world, with per capita water resources not exceeding 1,000 m³ per year—a threshold that defines a situation of “scarcity.” This issue is compounded by major losses in the water supply network, where more than 50% of produced water is lost as unbilled water. Additionally, only 65% of the country’s wastewater is treated. These challenges highlight the critical need for efficient water resource management, a pressing issue for both Jordan and its neighbors in the Middle East.
The Ministry of Water and Irrigation of Jordan has identified an urgent need to strengthen technical capacities in the water sector. Leak detection and the management of alternative resources—such as the reuse of treated wastewater or seawater desalination—are key areas where the country must improve the efficiency of its water infrastructure.
An Arabic technical training project
In response to these challenges, WATURA has developed a technical training project targeting WAJ staff, and more broadly, field technicians and operators.
Creating a training platform in Arabic: A solution adapted to the regional challenges of the water sector
The objective of this 18-month initiative is to develop an accessible, user-friendly training platform in Arabic, specifically tailored to the needs of water professionals in the Middle East. It focuses on translating and adapting existing training materials while addressing the region’s unique challenges.
So far, WATURA has translated and adapted 22 training courses, comprising a total of 196 videos covering the operation and maintenance of water and wastewater infrastructure, field technician safety, and the management of electromechanical equipment.
WATURA also brings its expertise to the forefront by offering specialized courses on leak detection and the reduction of non-revenue water, wastewater reuse, seawater desalination—particularly for the southern Jordanian city of Aqaba—and energy optimization and decarbonization in the water sector.
22
Training courses
196
Video clips
Reverse Osmosis section, Zara Ma’in Water Treatment Plant, Miyahuna Water Company, 2025.
Aqaba Wastewater Treatment Plant, Aqaba Water, 2025.
All training courses in Arabic, as well as a selection of training courses in English, will be available on a platform with an Arabic interface, aimed at water and sanitation technicians and engineers.
These courses aim to improve water resource management and support operators in implementing more sustainable practices, in order to meet the climatic and environmental challenges facing the region.
To highlight its platform in Arabic and French expertise in the water sector, WATURA has invited its partners to attend the Arab Water Week (AWW), organized by the ACWUA association in May 2025 at the Dead Sea.
WATURA at Arab Water Week
A strategic market for operators in the region
The Arab Water Week (AWW) represents a strategic platform for fostering technological and commercial exchanges within the region’s water sector, while opening up new prospects for collaboration with international players. This biennial event aims to strengthen ties between the various players in the water sector in the Arab world, while showcasing the innovative solutions proposed by ACWUA’s partners. In this way, the AWW encourages a constructive dialogue that transcends the region’s borders, and enables participants to discover global solutions adapted to the sector’s specific challenges.
Workshop: training WAJ trainers in Amman, 2024
From May 4 to 6, 2025, the 7th edition of this conference will be held under the theme “Nexus Towards Efficiency and Sustainability in Utilities: Integrating Water, Energy and Food (WEEF)”. This event will mark a key moment to discuss the integration of these three vital sectors and their impact on the sustainability of public services. The conference will take place in Jordan, at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center, located on the shores of the Dead Sea, a symbolic venue for addressing the crucial issues linked to water in this arid region.
A flagship project to promote French expertise in the region
In this context, the Arabic-language training development project run by WATURA in collaboration with the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) is a real lever for highlighting French expertise in the water and sanitation sector. This project, supported by FASEP funding, offers training solutions tailored to the specific needs of water professionals in the region. By involving key players in the sector, such as Veolia, Seureca, Vinci Construction Grands Projets and Dosatron, the project also highlights the know-how of French companies, while contributing to the modernization of local water infrastructures.
At the AWW, WATURA will have the opportunity to present its e-learning platform, specially developed as part of its partnership with the WAJ.
By Damia Tarmoul and Clémence des Déserts.
