In June 2017, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported that Jordan's first seawater reverse osmosis facility, on the Gulf of Aqaba, had started producing water in April 2017. Local firm AquaTreat handled engineering, construction and technology for the 15,000 m³/day unit, which combined microfiltration, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. Aqaba Water Company took 70 per cent of the output and fertiliser maker KEMAPCO 30 per cent. Cooling water discharged by KEMAPCO fed the plant, and brine went back into its drain. A seven-year BOT arrangement applied.
The report showed Jordan entering seawater desalination through a small industrial-scale plant, while the far larger Red Sea-Dead Sea scheme of 220,000 m³/day remained at the planning stage.