Nearly energy self-sufficient treatment and recycling of wastewater in the region of Amman, Jordan

The Jordanian Ministry of Water and Irrigation decided to invest in a new wastewater treatment plant to meet the needs of Greater Amman. Under the terms of a 25-year public-private partnership, SUEZ designed and installed a high-capacity plant in As Samra that is capable of producing its own energy from the treatment processes.
The mission

The recycling of wastewater is a key component of Jordan's water strategy.

In Jordan, in a backdrop of water scarcity and high demographic growth, recycling wastewater is of capital importance to supply populations and irrigate crops. 

In 2003, Jordan's minister for water and irrigation decided to modernise and update the old saturated, pond stabilisation system in As Samra, focusing on three priorities:

  • produce treated wastewater of high quality to reduce the use of drinking water for agricultural and industrial purposes
  • Return high quality water to the natural environment
  • Reduce site energy consumption.


Located in a desert area a few km from the capital city Amman, the new As Samra plant must treat the wastewater of 2.2 million inhabitants and meet the needs of the region's agricultural and industrial users.

100
million m3 of wastewater treated annually
10
%
the portion of treated water in water resources
Our solution

A high-capacity plant, almost self-sufficient in terms of energy 

SUEZ has had operations in the country since 1997. It was awarded the Build, Operate and Transfer contract for the plant extension. This 25-year contract is like a public-private partnership.

SUEZ combined several solutions for this plant, in order to optimise:

  • wastewater treatment
  • production of renewable energies on site
  • energy recovery from sludge.


Enhance wastewater treatment capacity
The As Samra plant was designed to treat 100 million m3 of water annually, with appropriate and efficient systems:

  • primary and secondary settling tanks,
  • aeration and clarification tanks,
  • solar drying beds,
  • odour control system.


In 2012, Jordan's government once again demonstrated its trust in us to expand the plant and operate it until 2037. The capacity of the plant was therefore extended from 267,000 to 365,000 m3 /day, making it the largest and most modern wastewater treatment plant in the country.

Generate its own power
The new plant produces almost all of its operating power, through:

  • biogas from sludge digestion
  • electricity from hydroelectric turbines.


Recover residual sludge
Drying the residual sludge on site means it can be transformed into granule form and used as fuel or fertiliser.

The results
In observance of international standards, the new SUEZ plant in As Samra now meets the water needs of the population, agricultural and industrial users in Greater Amman.


The 37% increase in capacity will meet the needs of a population estimated to reach 7 million in 2022.

The generation of renewable energy from the sludge treatment process provides 80% of the plant's power. 

Due to the higher quality of the wastewater discharged, the environmental restoration of the Zarqa river has encouraged the return of fish and crustaceans.

The financial structure, completely original in Jordan, enabled the government to use the expertise offered by SUEZ in terms of build, operation and maintenance, alongside international financial support. 
4,000
farms in the region use water recycled by the As Samra plant
300,000
tonnes of CO2 saved each year through the production of renewable energy.
13
MW
of renewable energy from biogas and hydro-electric turbines supply 80% of the plant's energy needs
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