1 PLANNING FOR RECLAIMED WATER IN THE AMMAN-ZARQA BASIN and JORDAN VALLEY Peter G. McCornick 1 , Suzan S. E. Taha 2 , and Hazim El Nasser 3 1 Senior Researcher, International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka (formerly Water Reuse Team Leader, Water Policy Support Project, USAID/Ministry of Water & Irrigation, Amman, Jordan) (Member ASCE) 2 Director, National Water Planning Directorate, Ministry of Water & Irrigation, Amman, Jordan 3 Minister, Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Amman, Jordan ABSTRACT Jordan has a critical shortage of water resources with water use per capita among the lowest in the world. Reclaimed water is already a major component of the national water budget, being indirectly reused in agriculture, mainly in the Amman-Zarqa Basin (AZB) and Jordan Valley (JV) area. The focus of this study is to see how best this resource can be managed to meet, at least in part, present and future demands for water. Already there is competition for reclaimed water, especially during periods of drought in the natural hydrological systems, as has been experienced in recent years. However, significant numbers of stakeholders in the AZB and JV water system, where the majority of the indirect reuse occurs, are opposed to the expanded use of reclaimed water, particularly in areas where export crops are grown. The planning process seeks to develop an understanding of the past, present, and future situation in the study area; identify and characterize options for using additional supplies of reclaimed water; develop practical scenarios (combinations of prioritized options) for allocating reclaimed water; investigate and define supporting actions for the sustainable management of water reuse. Potential options include exchange with existing irrigation uses of freshwater, development of a new commercial irrigation, industrial reuse, municipal reuse and groundwater recharge. The more viable options were used to develop water allocation scenarios, which were examined within the basin context and presented to stakeholders. Two scenarios, which reflect the results of the detailed investigations and inputs from stakeholders to date, are presented in this paper.