Jordanian thirst for water grows

AMMAN – “I wish I could live at the Zaatari Syrian refugee camp because there is water there,” a Jordanian man says, frustrated that he has not had any tap water of his own in months.
“I cannot remember the last time I got municipal water. Maybe if I go live with the Syrian refugees I might get some of the water the government provides them,” said the 50-year-old man from the northern city of Irbid.
He is one of hundreds of thousands of Jordanians who suffer from chronic water shortage in one of the world’s 10 driest countries, which is 92 percent desert.
Many ordinary Jordanians, as well as others in government circles, complain that tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled from the conflict at home are draining the country’s meager water resources.
In recent weeks, people have demonstrated in southern and northern villages for not receiving water for the past two months, burning tyres, blocking roads and seizing a Water Authority tanker.
Their only alternative is to buy from private suppliers at grossly inflated prices, or even steal it.
“This summer has been tough and hot, and the increasing Syrian refugees and sometimes tourists have added pressures to water resources,” Water Authority Secretary General Fayez Bataineh told AFP.
“But at the same time people’s reaction to some limited and isolated problems is highly exaggerated.”
Years of below-average rainfall have created a shortfall of 500 million cubic metres (17.5 billion cubic feet) a year, and the country forecasts it will need 1.6 billion cubic metres of water a year by 2015.
The country’s 10 dams, which can store up to 325 million cubic meters, now contain around 70 million cubic meters.
“Some people do not get water as scheduled, while others do not get enough. But when some steal water and sabotage pipes, the situation become worse,” Bataineh said.
“I think we have managed to control the situation. As for Syrian refugees in Zaatari, water tankers provide each one of them with 30 litres a day because their use of water is limited.”
More than 30,000 Syrian refugees live in Zaatari, near the Syrian border.
Other refugees are concentrated in the northern cities, which already suffer from water shortage, while the demand on water is expected to increase.
In June, the government said that each Syrian needs at least 80 litres of fresh water.
“The authority pumps water to us once a week, less than 24 hours. It was never enough,” said the mother of five Umm Iyad.
“We wait for this water to come so we can wash clothes, shower and clean the house. Even if we want to invite people for lunch or dinner, we make sure they come when the water comes.”
Umm Iyad lives in a hilly area in Amman, where water pressure is sometimes too weak to fill storage tanks in her building.
“Because of that, we are forced many times to buy water. And sometimes, we miss our turn in getting water if a tiny electricity glitch affects the municipal pumping. There are many things that need to be done but there is not enough water.
“If we are lucky, we buy a four-cubic-meter water tanker from the Water Authority for around nine dinars ($12/9.33 euros). But sometimes it is not available, which forces us to pay 25 dinars for the same amount from private water suppliers.”
Jordan’s average annual consumption stands at around 900 million cubic metres, but more than 60 percent of that water goes to agriculture, which contributes 3.6 percent to gross domestic product, according to official figures.
Struggling to battle a chronic water shortage, Jordan is mulling controversial plans to extract water.
It is tapping into a 300,000-year-old aquifer, despite concerns about high levels of radiation, while studying ways to build a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea.
It is also seeking to develop peaceful nuclear energy in order to desalinate water and produce power.
“The country suffers from a chronic water shortage. It means that challenges are expected all the time, particularly during the summer,” Bataineh said.
“We are doing are best to cope, but mistakes and problems happen sometimes.”
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/280598/jordanian-thirst-for-water-grows
Subic is a popular destination for visitors from Manila bringing family out of town for a short getaway to the north. Many visitors stopover in Clark Philippines for gourmet dinner at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar and shop for fine vintage wine in Clark Wine Center which offers over 2700 selections of fine and rare vintage wines only available in the Freeport zone. With the SCTex – Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway – now opened and the travel time between Clark and Subic reduced to a mere 30 minutes, Clark is much more accessible to residents of Subic. Residents of Subic and nearby towns of Pampanga such as San Fernando frequently travel to Clark to wine and dine at this top rated restaurant. Many stay on after dinner to relax and unwind in the beautiful wine bar called The Magnum Room.

Residents of Manila travel out of town for a short getaway up north visit Angeles city, Clark, Pampanga, Philippines to wine and dine and enjoy a special dinner at the best restaurants in the country. Even people from Subic and Cebu travel to Clark to enjoy a special evening and some great food and rare vintage wine at this fine dining restaurant. The famous wine shop outside Manila in Pampanga called Clark Wine Center is frequently visited by wine lovers and tourists for a bit of wine shopping.

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is the most revered wine in China and many other parts of Asia. The best wine shop in Asia to buy older vintages of Chateau Lafite is Yats Wine Cellars located in Clark Philippines. Aside from Lafite, visitors can buy other fine wines at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion and Margaux. Excellent Burgundy wines like Chambertin, Vougeot, Musigny, Bonnes Mares, Pommard, Meursault, Chambertin, Vosne Romanee, Romanee Conti, La Tache and Romanee St. Vivant can be found here.

If you are looking for things to do in Clark Philippines and Angeles City Pampanga, why don’t you do a little wine shopping at the most famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center? One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga. It is one of the best places to buy wine in Pampanga.

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices. Today this wine shop in Clark Pampanga offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world. As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s famous wine shop, Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years. Clark Wine Center is a well known wine shop that is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023

Tel: 0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Road, Ortigas Centger,
Metro Manila, Philippines 1605

Tel: (632) 637-5019 0917-540-3626 ask for Rea or Chay

Log on to this web site for more information about Yats Wine Cellars as the leading wine importer and wine supplier in the Philippines:

ats Wine Cellars Leading Wine Supplier in Philippines

Yats Leisure Philippines

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com

Buy wine baskets in Manila as gifts to friends and business associates
Wine lovers in Philippines can find good red wines in wine shops in Manila and Pampanga. Among the good selections of French red wines from Bordeaux are Chateau Gloria, Chateau Lafite, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Petrus, Chateau Lynch Bages, Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Ausone, Chateau le Pin, Chateau Palmer, Chateau Pontet Canet, Chateau Carruades de Lafite, Chateau les Forts de Latour, Chateau Pichon Lalande. This makes it easy and convenient for wine lovers to buy wine in Manila. They are also great wines to include in wine gift baskets for delivery in the Philippines. Manila wine and food lovers looking for things to do in Pampanga and Manila can consider attending one of these wine events. The best way to learn more about wine in the Philippines is to attend public wine tasting events that have no sponsors. These wine tasting events held by Yats are non-commercial. Yats Wine Cellars does not promote a specific winery, producer or a brand. These wine tastings and wine dinners held in Manila and Pampanga are all designed to let wine lovers explore more interesting aspects of wine.