On February 23, 2011, Water Efficiency Measurement Laboratory was inaugurated at the Royal Scientific Society (RSS). The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided its support to the Jordanian Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the Jordan Institution for Standards and Metrology for the establishment of this unique laboratory in Amman. The inaugural ceremony was graced with the presence of Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation, Mohammad Najjar. Director of Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization, Dr. Yaseen Khayyat, and Assistant Director of Water & Environment Programme at USAID, Dr. W. Frank, also attended the ceremony.

The laboratory is equipped with latest equipment to measure the efficiency of a wide range of household and industrial water fixtures, as well as household electrical appliances consuming water. The establishment of the laboratory will go a long way in ensuring conformity with national standards, technical specifications and requirements viz. water fixtures and appliances.

At the inauguration, Dr. Tareq Al Hadid, Executive Director – External Affairs of RSS, read a message from HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, President of El Hassan Science City and the Royal Scientific Society, that stressed the need to conserve the limited water resources. Underscoring the importance of establishment of this laboratory, it was noted that Jordan has one of the lowest levels of water resources in the world on a per capita basis. Furthermore, it was highlighted that RSS provides numerous technical services in the water-resources arena, including research, consultancy, and technical studies, as well as specialized testing services to various public and private institutions on cooperative arrangements.

This new laboratory, which is the first of its kind in the region, complements the vast number of specialized laboratories at RSS, serving regulatory and legislative institutions of Jordan for the protection of Jordanian consumer-base and supporting the competitiveness of national products and private-sector institutions.