In the Jordan Valley and many other regions of the world, groundwater is the most important freshwater resource by volume and the preferred source of drinking water, with several advantages compared to surface water. The provision of safe drinking water requires a multi-barrier approach, including the following elements:

• General reduction of polluting activities;
• Implementation and enforcement of appropriate protection zones;
• Continuous monitoring of water quality and contamination problems;
• Adapted drinking water treatment.

Work package 5 addressed the following main aspects:

• A detailed evaluation of water quality and trace contaminants in the LJV and side wadis, with a focus lying on wastewater impacts on groundwater resources.
• Evaluation of chemical and biological surface water quality, including the development of a bioindicator approach using aquatic invertebrates, specifically adapted to the LJV region.
• The development and initial implementation of continuous monitoring techniques at a karst spring in Jordan that is connected to the regional drinking water network.
• The advancement of groundwater protection zoning concepts, with initial implementation in the Palestine territories, including a socio-economic assessment.

Some selected results of this work package you can find here.

(Klinger et al. 2014, Klinger et al. 2015)