Groundwater resources in Jordan are the main source for domestic water supply.Those are the Disi basin and a
portion of the Jafer basin with a safe yield ranging from 107-110 MCM as estimated by NWMP
(2003), or 143 MCM as reported by the annual water budget published by MWI.Over-exploitation occurs in ten out of twelve basins and is especially significant in the AmmanZarqa, Dead Sea, Azraq and Yarmouk basins; the two remaining basins are remotely located thus
preventing their over-exploitation.Groundwater over-exploitation leads to declining
groundwater levels by an average of about a meter a year in most aquifers, decreasing the base
flow and the flow of spring discharge, and drying up springs.Almost all
domestic use in Jordan is based on groundwater except West Amman where the source of
water for domestic use is King Abdulla Canal.Additionally, there are other non-renewable groundwater
basins that are exploited to meet the growing water demand.The high water demand was met by over-abstracting the renewable
groundwater aquifers.Due to the growing water demand, almost all
groundwater resources in Jordan are over-exploited which leads to the deterioration of
groundwater quality.Over abstraction is estimated at about 35% above the safe yield
according to the 2015 water budget.The following
aspect will be discussed in more details.