NWRA’s Quarterly Magazine Issue No. 2 - June 2007

National Water Resource Authority, Amran Road, P.O. Box 8944, Sana ’ a, Republic of Yemen Tel: +967 1 231733, Fax: +967 1 231733, Website: www.nwra-yemen.org, Email: nwra-hq@y.net.ye

Never enough sector coordination! The sustainable and equitable management of water resources for today and future generations requires a high level of cooperation and coordination with our partners in the water sector. Concerning this issue, NWRA is trying to improve coordination on two fronts: with our donor partners and our partner government

institutions working in the water sector. Firstly, the generous contributions, financial and technical, from our donor partners have helped to transform the water sector. However, from a management perspective, we continue to strive toward greater harmonisation and alignment. In doing so, we hope to assure that no activities are duplicated and support goes to the areas it is needed most. NWRA has had an excellent experience in this regard with the PAWS programme, which has built local capacity through giving ownership and responsibility to the Yemeni government. Secondly, NWRA is working to improve coordination among our government partners in the water sector. Primarily this means to improve coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, which was a theme at this year’s Joint Annual Review (JAR). More specifically, NWRA presented a number of initial steps at this years JAR workshop to move toward a joint vision on agricultural water management including revitalizing a coordination office, curbing the expansion of irrigated agriculture, improving irrigation systems, and coordinating the development of all surface water structures. NWRA invites all of our partners in the water sector to work together in managing all water resources for the common good. ●

The Second Annual Joint Annual Review (JAR) Workshop 2006 The 2006 JAR was the second annual review of progress made in the National Water Sector Strategy Investment Programme (NWSSIP) 2005-2009. The 2006 JAR was held under the auspices of H.E. Ali Mohammed Mujawar Prime Minister of the Republic. Donor partners and government officials including H.E. Dr. Abdul-Rahman Al-Eryani Minister of Water and Environment (MWE) and H.E. Dr. Monsoor Al-Hawshabi Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation (MAI). This year’s workshop was held June 26-27 at the Sheraton Hotel in Sana’a.

On Tuesday 26th, Engineer Abdulla Al-Thary, Deputy of NWRA, presented the results of the JAR Water Resource Management (WRM) working group’s findings. Special attention was given to NWRA’s progress in licensing drilling rig companies and individual wells, building institutional capacity at the branch level, expanding the monitoring network, and the need for closer

• Highlights from World Water Day 2006 - a look back on the best World Water Day yet. Page 1

• Findings from the 2006 Joint Annual Review Workshop. Page 1

• What is the JAR and why do we do it? - All the answers on Page 3

• Our water resources - Groundwater drawdown across Yemen; the 2006 data. Page 4

. . . D R O P S . . .

THE CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

IN THIS ISSUE... • The ostrich with its head in the sand - NWRA Deputy Eng. Abdulla

M. Al-Thary asks, “Can we ignore the water crisis?” Page 5

• IWRM planning and implementation - protecting the municipal drinking water supply in Sana’a. Page 6

• What is the cheapest and most expensive thing in life? Page 7

• Greats tips to save water indoors and a humble gift from the land of dams to the great Nile River. Page 8

World Water Day 2007 Celebrations

NWRA staff, donors, partner institutions and the public all agreed that this year’s World Water Day (WWD) was a great success. WWD was essentially composed of two events: A special theatrical presentation for VIPs, government officials and policy makers at the Yemen Cultural Center, and a fascinating “water discovery land” for families at Saba’een Park featuring many displays, activities and live entertainment. The play, entitled Mia (Water), featured beloved Yemeni comedian-actor Kish Kush as “Abdu”. The plot revolved around the class clown Abdu, his teacher and classmates. Despite numerous attempts to convince Abdu on the virtues of saving water, it is not until a moment of self-realization that Abdu repents and decides to change his ways. The play was both funny and serious- entertaining the audience and highlighting critical water issues. Cute and talented kids also performed choreographed

- continued on page 3

H.E. Abdul-Rahman Fadl Al-Eryani, the Minister of Water and Environment, was on hand to support WWD 2007.

- continued on page 2

Page 2 ●

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

● DROPS OF NEWS ●

World Water Day 2007 Celebrations - continued from page 1 dancing to water-themed songs between scenes. Eng. Abdulla M. Al-Thary, the NWRA Deputy, greeted visitors to the event with his opening speech highlighting the theme on WWD 2007 “water scarcity”. A number of important people were in attendance including H.E. Abdul-Rahman Fadl Al-Eryani Minister of Water and Environment, Mrs. Flavia Parenseri the UNDP Country Representative and Mr. Ton Negenman the First Secretary of the Water Sector from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Commenting on the performance, Dr. Michael Klingler, the GTZ-IWRM team leader said, “The show was great and I liked it very much!”

Awareness materials were distributed as well as special gifts for the VIPs. Following the play, a fabulous Rauian cake awaited guests in anticipation for the carnival-like atmosphere of Saba’een Park and the many events there.

Saba’een Park was transformed into a magical water wonderland where guests were greeted by the lovable Rauian. Other

events were held here for both entertainment and education, or as we like to call it edu-tainment! The sounds of

drumming and singing were wooing visitors to the park. Children made water-themed drawings and many awareness materials and NWRA memorabilia were distributed. Partner organizations set up displays and held educational and informative presentations. Guests left with a heightened appreciation of water, an insight into some of the most critical issues, and an introduction to who we are and what we do at NWRA. A very special thanks to Mrs. Danae Issa and the UNDP, all our friends at GTZ and of course, Rauian! ● D. Kim

NWRA policies receive official support The Ministry of Civil Services and Insurance has approved the proposal of the government services manual, which will be provided to the public, and private sectors and the stakeholders from all concerned ministries, authorities and organizations. Many decrees and decisions have been issued by the Cabinet enhancing this important institutional initiative that aims to achieve many important objectives such as: 1. Implementing the transparency and

avoiding services duplicity 2. Improving the work environment in the

government sectors. 3. Fighting corruption that exist because

of unclear vision and related process To achieve this mater the manual needs number of process and implementations such as: 1. Issuing and printing the manuals in

brochures to be distributed to concerned and related people.

2. Printing the manuals on clothing, wood panels and lightening posters to be hung in the Ministries and Authorities entrances enabling the public to see and follow them.

3. Publish these manuals on the Internet which will be created by the concerned Ministries and Authorities that provide services to the public.

4. These manuals should be published in all mass media along with the comments, discussions, and remarks, and should be improved based on forums and lectures.

Mr. Noori Jamal the Committee Chairmen of the Government Services at the Ministry of Water and Environment has met with the NWRA Chairman and Mr. Khalid Al-Dailamy the Coordinator of the Ministry of Civil Services to discuss many related issues regarding completing NWRA manuals such as the services of drilling licenses, water rights, and beneficiary and ownership rights. In these coordinated efforts, the NWRA Chairman has issued his instructions to form a counterpart committee to participate in the preparation of the manual within the coming two weeks. ● N. Jamal

The 2006 JAR had many interesting findings concerning NWRA’s progress in 2006:

• 651 violations were reported in 2006 and 157 were prosecuted through the courts.

• Cumulatively through 2006 79 Water Users Associations and 614 Water User Groups have been established.

• Cumulatively through 2006 seven protected well fields have been established.

• 299 monitoring stations have been installed cumulatively through 2006. With regards to the 2009 targets this r e p r e s en t s 4 6 % o f h yd r o -meteorological stations, 52% of rainfall stations, 80% of wadi flow stations and 70% of groundwater monitoring wells.

• NWRA disbursed about 90% of the approved budget, however only about 53% of the planned budget was approved!

Rauian was the heart and soul of this years World Water Day celebration. The people can’t help but gravitate around him!

The play was the first of its kind in Yemen.

It’s official; kids love Rauian!

Kids drew a variety of water-themed pictures and received a NWRA T-shirt or hat as a gift.

● Page 3

● SECTOR COORDINATION ●

The JAR is an annual review process of institutions involved in the National Water Sector Strategy Investment Programme (NWSSIP) 2005-2009. This programme was designed to bring significant investment to the water sector and outlined a number of objectives for the sub-sectors of the water sector such as water resources management (WRM) and rural and urban water supply and sanitation. NWRA’s activities are under the WRM planned activities and objectives. Therefore, the JAR’s WRM (Water Resource Management) working group is responsible for evaluating NWRA’s progress to meet the objectives set forth in NWSSIP. The JAR is a critical element of the NWSSIP process.

Representatives from various organizations and donors in the water sector participate in JAR such as the World Bank, the UNDP, GTZ, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, NWRA and other government institutions. The WRM working group of the 2006 JAR invested much of their time revising the old indicators. Finding the proper indicators was difficult due to NWRA’s broad mandate as a national management institution and the complex political and socio-economic context in which NWRA is embedded. Some of the major innovations to the indicators of the 2006 JAR are a greater emphasis on “ground results” regarding

local water governance and co-management such as the establishment of localized management institutions (WBC, WUA and WUG) and the establishment of protected water areas. Efforts were made to better portray progress in capacity building throughout the entire NWRA institution. Branches are now being evaluated individually for capacity levels. Other variables are also being measured at each branch office as well as NWRA HQ. Additionally, clarification was made on many indicators to specify target goals and whether the indicator is measuring cumulative progress to eliminate any confusion of the score of the review. - continued on page 7

a memorandum to continue support to the water sector.

In his concluding presentation, Mr. Gerhard Redecker, director of the KfW office in Sana’a, provided some interesting conclusions and figures. He emphasized the role of rapid population growth and the expansion of irrigated agriculture as the main causes of pressure on water resources. For example, from 1970 to 2004, irrigated area expanded from 37,000 to 407,000 ha and water used for irrigation increased from 350 million cubic meters per year to 3870. The myth of qat’s importance in the economy was also debunked in that although a third of groundwater used for irrigation is allocated toward qat production, its proportional value in the GDP is not commensurate when taking into account the value and cost of water. He also reiterated the need for a joint vision on agricultural water management. Mr. Redecker gave the following recommendations to NWRA: to continue expanding the monitoring network, develop basin management plans (BMPs) in “hot spots”, strengthen the regulation of drilling and pumping, and improve public awareness activities.

The 2006 Joint Annual Review (JAR)

The Second Annual Joint Annual Review (JAR) Workshop 2006 - continued from page 1

Dr. Mohammed Al-Hamdi, Deputy of the water sector of the MWE, concluded the 2006 JAR with a presentation of the results from this year’s evaluation. NWRA was given an overall rating of satisfactory, which was an improvement from the previous year, but Dr. Al-Hamdi emphasized the need for NWRA to focus on outcomes. Dr. Al-Hamdi also commented on the improvement on results indicators. The main findings and results for NWRA’s performance in this years JAR were: the amendments were prepared for the Water Law, good progress was made in licensing drilling companies, problems remain in enforcing the Water Law (by the implementation agencies), there were many awareness activities, 65,000 wells have been inventoried nationwide, BMPs are under implementation in Taiz and Sa’da, BMPs are planned for finalization in Tuban-Abyan and Hadramout in 2007, and preparation will begin on Sana’a and Amran BMPs in 2007. Dr. Al-Hamdi also called on the MWE and MAI to work together more closely. The 2006 JAR was a successful experience and many good lessons were learnt. The coming year NWRA will try to bridge a relationship between the MWE and MAI. NWRA will continue its many activities to meet the indicative targets set forth for 2007. NWRA is very happy that its many achievements were recognized in the 2006 JAR. ● D. Kim

coordination with the MAI. Eng. Al-Thary specified some specific points of cooperation such as re-establishing the coordination office between the MAI and MWE. H.E. the Prime Minister spoke to the audience on the 27th to conclude the review process. He highlighted the importance of water for economic and social development and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to develop this vital sector. H.E. Dr. Monsoor Al-Hawshabi explained the critical role of water in agriculture, 90% of water resources are diverted to this sector, and of agriculture in the economy. Accordingly agriculture accounts for 16% of the GDP, employs 50% of the workforce and 67% of the population is either directly or indirectly involved in the sector. Expanding on this idea, H.E. Dr. Abdul-Rahman Al-Eryani explained that due to water shortages, water conflicts are increasing in Yemen and commented that several people in Dhamar were casualties of a recent water conflict there. The donors’ group was very supportive of the presence of H. E. the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, but said closer coordination was needed between the MAI and MWE to find solutions to Yemen’s water crisis. The donor group’s main recommendation for 2007 was to develop this coordination. Additionally, they praised progress made in 2006, but said more progress can still be made. The donors reaffirmed their support by signing

The JAR WRM working group meeting

Page 4 ●

● KNOWING OUR WATER RESOURCES ●

Yemen is a country with very little surface water and limited precipitation. As a result, groundwater is an important source of water for agriculture and domestic use. However, Yemen is facing a water crisis due to the rapid depletion of groundwater resources. In a number of basins, groundwater mining is occurring at alarming rates. This refers to the depletion of fossil aquifers that accumulated over many centuries and are not quickly recharged. Depending on the timescale of recharge, such water resources can be classified as non-renewable. The Table below represents data collected from 2006 monitoring activities. The major basins and regions have been represented here. Two main points should be addressed here. First, the average depletion rates show that many basins have an annual drawdown of one to two meters per year. Overall, there is a trend of depletion, but drawdown rates of one to two meters per year or less belie the actual situation on the ground. Upon examining the maximum drawdown rates, it becomes clear that some areas or sub-basins within the larger basins have extreme drawdown. Some locations in Sana’a Basin are experiencing about six meters per year, almost five per year at some locations in Taiz, and more than seven meters per year in some locations in Sa’da. When populations are concentrated around such locations, this can be a serious problem for many people. When examining such data it is important to understand the geo-spatial context of the data and the crises that exist when examining the smaller scale and grain. The groundwater depletion issue is complicated and as seen in the Table below is occurring all across Yemen. However, to fully comprehend the problem we must understand how the data interfaces with the reality on the ground to avoid simplifications and generalizations of the problem. ● D. Kim

Groundwater drawdown across Yemen • Governor of Ta’iz (Chairman) • Governor of Ibb (Deputy Chairman) • Manager NWRA Ta’iz Branch

(Rapporteur) • Representative of Chairman NWRA

(Sector head PSS / MIS) • Representative of EPA • Representative of NWSA Headquarter • General Director Ta’iz Water Supply

Local Corporation • General Director Rural Water Supply

Authority, Ta’iz • General Director Agriculture Research

and Extension Authority, Ta’iz • Representative of Ministry of

Agriculture & Irrigation (Ta’iz) • Representative of Local Councils in

Ta’iz region • Chairman Water Basin Committee

(Ta’iz) Plan Implementation Committee (PIC) A Decree from the Minister of Water and Environment will establish the Plan Implementation Committee. The functions Committee will include acting as a catalyst for implementation of various packages included in the Plan, coordinating the activities of various executing agencies, ensuring optimal sequencing of activities, monitoring progress of and provide backstopping support to executing agencies, reporting back to oversight committee. The Plan Implementation Committee will be assisted by a Secretariat established in NWRA Ta’iz branch. The PIC-Secretariat will be responsible for day-to-day follow up of the implementation process. The PIC will consist of the following members. • Manager NWRA Ta'iz Branch • Designated officials of Ta’iz and Ibb

Governorates (2) • Representative of Local Councils • Representatives of Basin Committee

and sub-catchment Water Users’ Associations (4-8 members)

• Representative of Industries • Representatives of urban domestic

water users women’s representative The Secretariat of PIC will be housed in the office of NWRA Ta’iz branch and it will comprise of the following persons:

Drawdown in most critical basins

012345678

San

a’a

Mar

ib

Tuba

n

Aby

an

Taiz

Had

ram

awt

Wad

iS

urdu

d(T

iham

a)

Sa’

da

Basin/Region

Met

ers Min

MaxAvg

This table shows the annual minimum, maximum and average drawdown rates for groundwater in the most critical basins of Yemen in 2006.

- continued on page 7

The institutional framework of the water resources management plan for Taiz The main function of the oversight committee will be to monitor the plan implementation process and provide strategic guidance as well as political support to Plan Implementation Committee (see below) in performance of its functions. It will also play an important role in mobilizing funds from government and donors for implementation of projects under the Ta’iz Plan. The Oversight Committee will be created by the council of ministers based on the Minister for Water & Environment’s proposal after consultation with Governors of Ta’iz and Ibb. It will consist of the following members:

● PROTECTING OUR WATER RESOURCES ●

What’s in the Water Law? (part two): The relation between the Water Law and water protection

Article (54) stated that the NWRA shall have the authority to protect water resources from contamination, preserve it from deteriorating quality, prohibit activities that lead to its contamination or deterioration of its quality, and combat cases of emergency contamination in cooperation with the relevant and competent authorities. Water contaminants are critical since water is one of the elements for life, without which no one can live. Therefore, water contamination must be treated as follows: • Impose special laws like as the current water law to prevent

contamination from reaching water resources. • Reuse of industrial and wastewater. • Conducting periodical water tests to indicate contamination and

ensure proper treatment. • Conduct water filtering for water that is likely to have been

contaminated from filtration and chlorine. In conclusion, we must not forget what happened in London in 1849-1853 when about twenty thousand people died due to the cholera disease caused by river contamination from waste refuse. Let us learn from history, for if we do not, then we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. ● A. Al-Fadeel

The ostrich with its head in the sand By Eng. Abdulla M. Al-Thary NWRA Deputy Yemen is facing an extreme water crisis. It has been reported in the media and discussed at all levels of society. The main dilemma is

not water scarcity; it is the poor management of the resource. NWRA, a policy and management institution of the MWE, is trying to move toward the sustainable use of water resources through a responsible and equitable management strategy. Enforcement of the Water Law is a major element of this. This includes, licensing drilling rigs and wells, prosecuting violators, providing police surveillance of water sources, establishing a twenty-four hour hotline to alert police of violations, the unification of the efforts of branch offices in eleven governorates, and monitoring drilling rigs by satellite. The purpose of these enforcement measures is not to harass or impose upon the public, but to manage the limited groundwater in a sustainable manner for the benefit of society for a prolonged period of time and for a reasonable cost. This does not mean that NWRA is not still looking for new sources that are economically viable, but protecting the available groundwater is an imperative because of the lower cost. NWRA recognizes that alternative sources will come at a higher economic and social cost. Unfortunately, despite all of NWRA’s efforts, among the violators of the Water Law are some high-level officials, politically influential people, and social figures who chose to serve their personal interests, ignoring the seriousness of Yemen’s water crisis. Their disregard for the problem does not stem from ignorance about the problem. They adeptly avoid detection by drilling private wells inside the walls and fences of their houses and farms illegally without licenses. Thus, they violate and disrespect the law and the institutions responsible for securing the country’s long-term interest in water security. Through these illicit acts, they believe that they have solved the water crisis for themselves and their families. They are like ostriches with their heads in the sand. Is this individual approach the right way to solve this crisis? No. It is clear that this approach is bound to fail. The groundwater’s dynamics do not have manmade borders. It flows from high-pressure areas to lower pressure areas to reach equilibrium. Any depletion or contamination of groundwater in nearby wells will negatively affect the wells that are located behind walls and fences. The influence of these neighboring wells has a much greater impact than trying to secure a water supply by managing a private well hidden behind a wall. In other words, these individuals have disobeyed the law, made a bad example for the public, and spent much of their money, but they cannot actually avoid the same fate as the rest of the country,

● Page 5

despite their plots to illegally secure private water supplies. Therefore, our advice to these individuals is to look at the water crisis with a broader perspective. For their own sake and for the sake of Yemen, we encourage them to help NWRA and the MWE to enforce the Water Law by using their social and political influence. Their positions and high public profile put them in a unique position to be pioneers and role models and to encourage society to follow their lead in abiding by the law. The National Security Agency has already done so and is leading by example. By doing this, the holistic management approach will provide sustainable protection, preserving water resources for the whole society. It is futile to build false security by hoarding a common resource. Under the current circumstances, respect for the Water Law will benefit society as a whole, while violations of the law will harm society as a whole. The only way Yemen will overcome this crisis is if people follow the MWE’s and NWRA’s strategy and work as a unified society, rather than trying to solve it individually with their heads in the sand. ●

Ignoring the problem won’t solve the prob-lem. The water crisis can only be solved through collective action as a society.

● IWRM PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ●

Maintaining a safe drinking water supply in the Sana’a municipality

Sana'a Municipality like other cities in Yemen is suffering from scarcity in drinking water that pumped by the government water network due to the vast expansion especially into suburban areas.

The government water network does not reach many neighborhoods at all and some other areas get water only once a week, this encourages the sale of water by tankers and by the local networks. These networks have bad water quality and higher prices.

Sana'a Basin Committee decided that NWRA Branches and some related organizations should establish water sale procedures for the tankers and monitor the wells to protect people's health from any diseases could be carried by these tankers. An initial study about the expansion of this practice started as a first stage in the municipality and was implemented to enable the related institutions to be ready for the next stage- establishing water sales procedures of the tankers.

Regarding this matter, the NWRA Branch in Sana'a has formed specialized committee of the related organizations. This committee has set health conditions for drinking supply wells and the local water networks as well for the tankers. These conditions were approved by Sana'a Basin Committee in their meeting number (23) dated December 26, 2006. It is worth mentioning that the committee decision has included the implementation of the committee recommendations to form a special team to conduct a well inventory study to indicate the number of wells, their types, the water quality, and their locations in addition to a tanker inventory and an assessment of their health conditions. The study confirmed that there are 189 wells selling water to tankers and networks. 169 of these wells are boreholes. These wells are located all over the Sana'a Basin and some of their depths reach 540 meters. There are 17 dug wells with maximum depth up to 90 meters located at Dar Al-Hamd area (Al-Adel

Street) also at Bani Al-Hareth area. In general, the water quality in those wells is good, but there are some anomalies. In some wells, there are increasing levels of some elements, such as Hydrogen ions (pH) in the deep wells, which have spread south of the municipality where 19 wells have exceeded the optimal limit (6.5-8.5) for Hydrogen ions for drinking water according to the Yemeni Standard. This is because many wells in this area have been drilled to great depths reaching and penetrating the volcanic rocks, which contain Sodium elements such as Feldspar (Orthoclase and Sanidine) and Plagioclase metal that create an environmental basic causing increases the in Hydrogen ion count. It has been observed that water of 12 wells has exceeded the Yemeni Standard for EC (electric conductivity) 1500 micromohs|cm for drinking water. One sample was taken from the southern part and the rest were from the northern part of the municipality, because the water in those wells located beside the water treatment station have been confirmed to be polluted by the sewage waste treated there. The water in that area is partly treated or not treated at all.

The samples taken from the southern municipality and were tested for chemicals and bacteria. Only one sample was found not to meet the Yemeni standard for total hardness, calcium, and sulfate. Five samples exceeded the allowed limit for nitrates and the bacterial analysis has proved that only nine samples have contamination of bacteria. The tankers inventory showed that there are 709 tankers of Daihatsu and Toyota brand. About 86% of the carried water is used for drinking and other purposes related to human health. We have found that most wells and tankers do not meet the health conditions set by the Committee. Therefore, we need to take practical steps after this study to implement the approved procedures starting with a mass

Page 6 ●

Integrated Water Resources Manage-ment Planning isn’t just saving and allo-

cating water, but protecting it too!

IWRM and water sustainability Through the protection of the ecological system and all life, we can obtain the wise management of sustainable use of water to ensure an active, healthy and economically viable environment for our current and coming generations. In the 1980s, the International Union for Protection identified water sustainability as follows: management of human utilization for the essential uses of water to ensure the maximum range of sustainable benefits, at the same time to fulfill the needs and ambitions of coming generations. Water is polluted all the time, even though it is a limited and rare resource and is considered an essential element for all environmental, economic and social life. Society is responsible for using water in a wise way and to conserve it for our generations since our country has no surface water resources such as rivers but depends only on rain, which does not cover the extreme needs for water due to the growth of population and economical sectors. This will lead to water over exploitation in the urban and rural societies and will raise the water salinity in the cost basins in Yemen. In this frame, we have to establish principles for integrated water resources management to have a link between the quantity and quality of the available water and the other resources bearing in mind the hydrological, ecological, social and institutional system. In addition we have to solve the water management problems by planning, research and monitoring, and by providing multi-system data to the decision makers as well as to encourage cooperation and the active public participation of water users associations in deferent basins. Finally, we will find that negotiations and sharing different points of view concerning water conservation will develop a common opinion among all parties. ● A. Saeed

JUST AN OPINION...

- continued on page 7

The 2006 Joint Annual Review (JAR) - continued from page 3 Throughout the process, NWRA and JAR committee members recognized the importance to have an operational definition of IWRM to realize success on the ground and with the JAR process. In addition, it was recognized that all donors and institutional partners to operate in a more coordinated fashion in accordance with the five major principles of the Paris Declaration, which are ownership, alignment, harmonisation, managing for results, and mutual accountability. NWRA hopes, that by abiding by these principles, partnerships will be created that have stronger reciprocal accountability and transparency, and that all donor-funded projects will become truly effective. NWRA and the WRM JAR committee is very happy with the progress made in this year’s JAR and anticipates future JARs to be facilitated based on the innovations and lessons learnt for this years JAR. ● D. Kim

● MORE NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER PERSPECTIVES ●

● Page 7

A RIDDLE...

What is the cheapest and most expensive thing in life? We hear this puzzle a lot; but many do not know that the answer is the water! When I was young, I used to hear this puzzle but did not care about it until I grew up and started following the water issues to find out that it is true water is the most expensive and the cheapest thing. Our ill treatment of water makes it obvious that people do not know the real value of Almighty Allah’s gift until it is gone. We have of one of the most valuable gifts from the Lord, but we see it taken away from our hands gradually because of over exploitation. I have come to know that water is the most valuable thing that we are losing just as Almighty Allah said in his Holy Quran:

)قل ارءيتم إن أصبح ماؤآم غورا فمن يأتيكم بماء معين( اهللا العظيم صدق

Surat Al-Mulk Ayat-30 (Say, if your stream be some morning lost

“in the under ground earth” who can supply you with clear-flowing water?)

We, therefore, must know that there is a problem with this important resource and there is difficulty in dealing with it. The solutions of the water problem are more complex than any other problems because it starts with water desalinization along with its expensive costs and ends with water treatment and the obstacles it faces. In Yemen, this problem is worse than any other country due to the semi-arid climate. We will find that the average water requirement for each person is 150 cubic meters per year, while out of Yemen each person gets 7000 cubic meters, which means that we obtain only not more than 3% in compression with the others. Thus, we are facing a real problem requiring official and public efforts in addition to life consciences to deal properly with this important resource which is considered essential for life. ● A. Al-Sharabi

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

• International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC) reports Vols. I-III: Index of Yemeni Water Resources Reports

• Awareness booklets: Social Participation in Water Resources Management by Mr. Mohamed Al-Meklfi and Methods of Water Saving by Engineer Abdulkaliq Alwan

formulation and execution of projects. ● Q. Al-Asbahi

Maintaining a safe drinking water supply in the Sana’a municipality - continued from page 6 awareness campaign to educate people about the condition of those wells and tankers. Additionally, a workshop should be arranged with the presence of the owners of the wells and tankers to educate them about the study’s results, health conditions, registration procedures, and to start classifying the wells and tankers for various uses according to the tankers’ conditions and the water quality itself. ● A. Kassem

The institutional framework of the water resources management plan for Taiz - continued from page 4 • Members of NWRA Stakeholders’

Participation Team (male & female) • Designated official of Ta’iz Water

Supply Local Corporation • Designated official General Authority

for Rural Water Projects • Designated official MAI Designated

official Agriculture Research and Extension Authority (AREA)

The PIC-Secretariat will also provide technical support for implementation of the plan in the form of advice on various technical/design issues arising during

The Human Development report 2006 Review:

The report for 2006 was addressed: Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and global water crisis. The report contains:

• Overview to describe the reasons of linking the water and sanitation issues to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s). • Chapter 1: “Ending the crisis in water & sanitation” describes the lessons learned in the past and the today’s global crisis and the human development costs related to this crisis and how it hits the poor. How is making progress possible to get on track towards the MDGs. • Chapter 2: “Water for human consumption” discusses why the poor pay more and get less water, managing the network for better efficiency and equity and delivering the outcomes- the policies. • Chapter 3: “The vast of deficit in sanitation” describes the deficit between the water supply and sanitation, why sanitation is lagging so far behind water supply management, and the way ahead to bring sanitation within reach for all. • Chapter 4: “Water scarcity, risk and vulnerability” shows the rethinking of the concept of scarcity, how to deal with risk, vulnerability and uncertainty, and shows the possibilities of the way ahead. • Chapter 5: “Water competition in agriculture” shows the livelihood links between water and human development, competition, rights and the scramble for water and better governance in irrigation system as well as greater productivity for the poor. • Chapter 6: “Managing trans-boundary waters” deals with shared water rivers at hydrological interdependence case and shows the ways of the river basin cooperation for human development. ● Q. Al-Asbahi Download the report or the summary at: http://hdr.undp.org

National Water Resource Authority, Amran Road, P.O. Box 8944, Sana ’ a, Republic of Yemen Tel: +967 1 231733, Fax: +967 1 231733, Website: www.nwra-yemen.org, Email: nwra-hq@y.net.ye

● THE LAST DROP ●

National Water Resource Authority, Amran Road, P.O. Box 8944, Sana ’ a, Republic of Yemen Tel: +967 1 231733, Fax: +967 1 231733, Website: www.nwra-yemen.org, Email: nwra-hq@y.net.ye

Editorial Team: Abeer Al-Fadeel

Danae Issa Derek Kim (Essam)

Other Contributions: Abdulgaleel Al-Sharabi

Ali Kassem Abdulwahed Saeed

Noori Jamal Qahtan Al-Asbahi

Translation: Ali Kohlani

Drops magazine is financed by the UNDP National Programme on

Integrated Water Resources Management.

Saving Water Indoors Saving water and assuring all of society has access to sufficient amounts of water is a social responsibility and moral obligation. There are many hadiths from the Prophet (PBUH) concerned with the equitable distribution of surplus water. The Prophet (PBUH) forbade withholding superfluous water from people/travelers (Sahih Bukhari hadith #547), from livestock (Sahih Bukhari hadiths #92 and 543), from agriculture (Sahih Bukhari hadith #544; Sahih Muslim hadiths #3800-3802; Imam Malik’s Muwatta Book 36 hadith #25.29) as well as from selling excess water (Sahih Muslim hadith #3798 and Sunnan Abu Dawood hadith #3471). All these hadiths relate to excess water. Although currently society faces a water shortage, these hadiths still have implications when understood in a modern context. For example, for every daily activity requiring water, there is a minimum amount required to accomplish the task. However, we often exceed in using the minimal amount necessary, and are thus using superfluous water. By wasting this excessive water, we are essentially withholding water from the society that can be used today and in future generations and this is contrary to the Sunna. Everyone can make small changes in his or her life to conserve water. Everyone can make a difference and every drop saved counts, and if we do not do so then we are depriving the future generations of water. The majority of domestic water use in Yemen is for indoor activities. Water used in the bathroom may comprise up to 75% of indoor water usage and the kitchen 8%. You might be asking yourself “What can I do?”, so we will give you some practical advice to save water in your house. Try to adopt the following changes in your daily activities: 1. Never put any water down the drain when there may be another use for it such as watering a plant or cleaning. 2. Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 10,206 liters per year, which will add to the cost of water and sanitation, or strain your septic system. Remember, one leaking tap can waste more than 2,000 liters a month!

3. Check for toilet tank leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear within 30 minutes. Check the toilet for worn out, corroded or bent parts. Most replacement parts are inexpensive, readily available and easily installed. (Flush as soon as you complete the test because food coloring may stain the tank.) 4. Take shorter showers and replace your showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version. 5. Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath and only take baths occasionally, showering instead. Just taking a five-minute shower very day, instead of a bath, will use a third of the water, saving up to 400 liters a week. 6. Do not let water run while brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your face. Don’t be lazy, turn off the faucet! 7. Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator. 8. Check your pump. If you have a well at your home, listen to see if the pump switches on and off while the water is not in use. If it does, you have a leak! 9. If the toilet flush handle frequently sticks in the flush position, letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it. 10. The most water efficient methods for cooking vegetables are steaming or using a pressure cooker, it requires less water. You can also cut down on water loss by using tight lids on pots and simmering instead of boiling rapidly. 11. Washing fruit and vegetables in a half-filled sink or container instead of under running water is a great way to cut back on water wastage. Save even more water by washing all your fruit and vegetables at the same time! By following these steps, we try not to be like the wasteful, with those whom Almighty Allah has said:

“Verily the wasteful are brothers of the satans, and satan is to his Lord ungrateful” (Surat Al-Israa, Ayat 27)

● D. Kim

A Humble Gift from the Land of Dams to the Great Nile River A translation of an Arabic poem by Ali Al-Kohlani Oh Nile River, why is your lover broken hearted? Is it because the remembrance of your pure pearl water? You quenched my thirst with pure love How could I forget the drink of love in the glass? And I quenched your thirst with the feeling of love As I was giving you a drink of my feelings If Abu Nwas has ever tasted your pure water None of his followers would sing about wine Many people and ages were passing by you You were looking at the people and the ages You have never ever changed But you remain on the mother land Egypt in sprit and as a guiding light