TITLE:
Threats to the Thermal Mineralized Waters Used for Therapeutic Purposes in Jordan
AUTHORS:
Elias Salameh
KEYWORDS:
Thermal Mineralized Water, Depletion, Quality Deterioration, Over-Extraction, Jordan
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.10 No.12,
December
29,
2022
ABSTRACT: Although Jordan is a country with very limited water resources, the
country is rich in its thermal mineralized water possessing curative
properties, historically used for the therapy of a variety of ailments. Due to
the country’s increasing water demand resulting from population growth,
urbanization, and industrialization,
extractions from the groundwater sources feeding the thermal mineralized
springs has started to affect negatively the discharged quantities from the
springs. In addition, urbanization, mining activities, over-exploited groundwater
resources in general and severe drop in the level of the Dead Sea are leading to declining discharge of springs in general, and thermal
mineralized in special, deteriorating water quality and contamination by human
activities. In this article, the current quantitative and qualitative situation
of the thermal mineralized springs is given and the threats to their discharges
and quantities are discussed. In addition, some water policy changes and
measures are suggested to conserve these therapeutic waters for the use of
generations to come and to alleviate their depletion and quality deterioration
on the social and economic state of Jordan.