Jordan Water Desalination Market Size & Forecast 2025–2033: Securing the Kingdom’s Future Amid Intensifying Water Scarcity
How Jordan’s desalination drive is reshaping water security, powering urban expansion, and strengthening economic resilience
The Jordan Water Desalination Market is on a rapid growth trajectory, expected to reach US$ 490.87 million by 2033, up from US$ 215.12 million in 2024, according to Renub Research. With a projected CAGR of 9.6% during 2025–2033, desalination is becoming the backbone of Jordan’s strategy to confront one of the most severe water shortages in the world.
Jordan’s water scarcity is not just an environmental issue — it is a national challenge tied deeply to its economic growth, social stability, and future security. The combined pressures of expanding urban populations, climate change, strained natural resources, and the continuous influx of refugees have made desalination a crucial lifeline. As the Kingdom pushes forward with mega projects like the Red Sea–Dead Sea Water Conveyance Project and the Aqaba-Amman Desalination & Conveyance Project, desalination is evolving from an optional solution to an indispensable element of Jordan’s water future.
Understanding Jordan’s Water Desalination Market
Desalination, the process of removing salts and impurities from seawater or brackish water, is increasingly vital for arid countries. For Jordan — one of the top five most water-stressed nations globally — desalination is no longer a luxury but a necessity for survival.
With naturally renewable freshwater resources estimated at under 100 cubic meters per capita per year, dramatically below the 500 m³ water-poverty threshold, Jordan’s water insecurity is driven by:
Minimal rainfall
Heavy groundwater overuse
Rising temperatures
Consumption demands from fast-growing urban areas
Municipal utilities, industries, agricultural operations, and humanitarian zones now rely heavily on desalinated water to maintain operations and support population growth.
Jordan’s increasing dependence on Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology, improved energy management systems, government-led water strategies, and foreign investment continue to shape the landscape of the desalination market in the Kingdom.
Key Drivers Boosting Market Growth
1. Extreme Water Shortage: Jordan’s Most Pressing Crisis
Jordan faces one of the harshest water realities on the planet. With rapidly diminishing natural freshwater sources and increasing demand, desalination fills an ever-widening supply gap. Rural and urban communities alike face chronic water shortages, leading to national programs prioritizing desalination as a resilience strategy.
In June 2023, the World Bank approved US$250 million to strengthen Jordan’s water services — including rehabilitation of distribution networks, energy efficiency upgrades, and drought-response mechanisms. This underscores how urgently the nation needs sustainable water solutions.
As scarcity intensifies, desalination is not just supporting daily needs — it is emerging as a core national security asset.
2. Government Investments & Large-Scale Strategic Initiatives
Jordan’s government is aggressively pursuing new desalination capacity through flagship projects, technology partnerships, and private-sector involvement. The Red Sea–Dead Sea Water Conveyance Project stands out as a milestone initiative aimed at boosting water security and restoring ecological balance in the Dead Sea.
The National Water Strategy (2023–2040) further solidifies Jordan’s long-term commitment to desalination. The strategy emphasizes:
Integrated water resource management
Groundwater conservation
Large national projects like the National Water Carrier Project
Improved wastewater treatment and reuse
Enhanced regulatory enforcement
With multi-billion-dollar partnerships already underway, Jordan is positioning itself as a future regional leader in desalination and water management technology.
3. Rapid Urbanization and Population Expansion
Jordan’s population surged from 933,102 in 1960 to 11.55 million in 2024 — a staggering 1,138% increase. The influx of refugees from regional conflicts has further strained water resources.
Urban centers, especially Amman, are experiencing unprecedented demand for drinking water, industrial water, and residential utilities.
Desalination plants offer:
Scalability for rising consumption
Reliable supply independent of rainfall
Sustainability compared to groundwater extraction
This demographic pressure is expected to remain a major market driver through 2033.
Major Challenges Confronting the Market
1. High Capital and Operational Costs
Desalination remains an expensive technology requiring high upfront investment and continuous financial input for operation, energy, and maintenance. Jordan’s limited domestic budget requires foreign financing to bridge the gap, slowing the pace of plant development.
2. Environmental and Energy Constraints
Desalination is energy-intensive. For a country like Jordan — with limited energy resources and high dependence on imported fuel — operating large plants is challenging.
Environmental concerns include:
Brine discharge impacts
Carbon emissions from energy consumption
Ecosystem disruptions
Jordan is increasingly turning to solar PV and other renewable sources to power new desalination facilities, but the transition remains gradual.
Market Segments and Regional Insights
Jordan Reverse Osmosis Desalination Market
RO technology dominates Jordan’s desalination landscape due to:
Lower operational costs
Higher energy efficiency
Adaptability to both brackish and seawater
With growing government investment in energy-efficient systems, RO adoption is expected to accelerate further in the coming decade.
Municipal Water Desalination Market in Jordan
The municipal sector is the largest end-user of desalinated water in the Kingdom. Urban clusters around Amman rely heavily on desalinated sources to meet rising consumption needs.
Upcoming large-scale RO plants, along with network expansion, will reinforce municipal dominance through the forecast period.
Industrial Water Desalination Market
Industries such as:
Mining
Manufacturing
Energy production
are turning to desalinated water to reduce dependence on overdrawn groundwater reserves. Industrial desalination supports process stability, regulatory compliance, and improved sustainability metrics for businesses.
Seawater Desalination in Jordan
Jordan increasingly utilizes seawater desalination, especially through Red Sea–based systems. The Red Sea–Dead Sea project and the Aqaba mega-plant are set to dramatically increase seawater desalination capacity, benefitting both municipalities and industries.
River and Brackish Water Desalination Market
While smaller in scale compared to seawater desalination, river and brackish desalination projects are vital for:
Irrigation
Rural communities
Humanitarian operations
Semi-urban areas
These smaller-scale RO plants help alleviate regional imbalances in water distribution.
Regional Market Highlights
Amman
Amman is the largest consumer market for desalinated water. High population density, commercial activity, and municipal utilities operate numerous plants to ensure consistent water access.
Russeifa
A growing industrial and residential hub, Russeifa increasingly relies on local brackish water desalination. Infrastructure investments are expected to boost capacity through 2033.
Rukban
Located near Jordan’s border, Rukban faces severe water scarcity. Modular desalination units serve both residents and refugee communities, making it a niche yet critical market.
Madaba
Known for tourism and rising urbanization, Madaba leverages brackish groundwater desalination to support municipal needs and agricultural output.
Other key cities with expanding desalination activity include Zarqa, Irbid, Ajloun, and Aqaba.
Recent Major Projects Transforming Jordan’s Desalination Landscape
1. January 2025 — Meridiam–SUEZ 30-Year Concession
Jordan signed an agreement for a €4 billion desalination facility, supplying drinking water to 3 million people in Amman and Aqaba.
Capacity: 851,000 m³/day
Accounts for 40% of Jordan’s drinking water
World’s second-largest desalination plant
2. May 2025 — Aqaba–Amman Water Desalination & Conveyance Project
This landmark initiative includes:
Subsurface water extraction from the Gulf of Aqaba
RO-based desalination
Pumping water 450 km north to Amman
Solar PV farms to power operations
3. January 2025 — $5 Billion French–Egyptian Consortium Plant
A giant desalination plant led by Meridiam, in partnership with:
Suez
Orascom
Vinci Grands Projects
This is Jordan’s biggest infrastructure endeavor to date.
Market Segmentation
By Technology
Reverse Osmosis
Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) Distillation
Multi-Effect Distillation (MED)
Others
By Application
Municipal
Industrial
Others
By Water Source
Seawater
Brackish Water
River Water
Others
By City
Amman
Zarqa
Irbid
Russeifa
Ajloun
Aqaba
Rukban
Madaba
Others
Key Companies Profiled
International Development Enterprises (iDE)
DowDuPont
Doosan Group
Ovivo
Aquatech
Veolia
Guangzhou KangYang Seawater Desalination Equipment Co.
Each company includes: Overview, Key Person, Recent Developments, SWOT Analysis, and Revenue Analysis in the full report.
Final Thoughts: Securing Jordan’s Water Future
Jordan stands at a turning point. As water scarcity intensifies and climate pressures grow, desalination has become a cornerstone of national resilience. With ambitious government strategies, multi-billion-dollar partnerships, and advanced technologies, the Kingdom is building a future where water security can support economic development and social stability.
The next decade will be transformational. As the Jordan Water Desalination Market grows to US$ 490.87 million by 2033, desalination will power new cities, industries, and communities — ensuring that the country’s most precious resource remains accessible for generations to come.
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Janine Root
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