In this interview, Jihad Abou Jamous, GOPA’s Technical Director for Infrastructure in Amman, Jordan, discusses how GOPA is addressing critical water management challenges in the Middle East. Through collaboration with local governments and stakeholders, Jihad illustrates how GOPA is committed to creating resilient water systems that support both environmental sustainability and community well-being. 

Q: Please tell us about your background and your work with GOPA.   

Jihad Abou Jamous: I have over 33 years of experience in infrastructure engineering and environmental projects. I am a certified water engineer specializing in water and wastewater management and a certified trainer in the water sector in Jordan. I have collaborated with multinational experts and managed projects funded by various national and international donors, including USAID, KfW, the European Union, the European Investment Bank, the Millenium Challenge Corporation, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Agence Française de Développement, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the World Bank. 

At GOPA, I oversee team development, resource allocation, quality assurance, and the achievement of profit targets and key performance indicators, while maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders. I have represented the private sector in Jordan as a board member of the Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA) and served as chairperson of the Public Awareness Technical Working Group. Additionally, I was a member of the 5TOI Energy, Water, and Agricultural South Mediterranean Neighborhood National Think Tank, representing Jordan. 

Q: What keeps your passionate about your work at GOPA?   

Jihad Abou Jamous: What keeps me passionate about working with GOPA is the chance to contribute to meaningful development projects that positively impact communities and the opportunities I have to collaborate with experts on complex challenges related to water management, infrastructure, and climate resilience. Another key reason for which I love working here is GOPA’s commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation to ensure long-term solutions and lasting change. 

Q: How does GOPA work with communities when implementing water and wastewater management projects?  

Jihad Abou Jamous: GOPA implements targeted initiatives like capacity building to enhance technical skills within both local teams and client organizations. We prioritize sustainable practices such as water reuse and treatment to ensure long-term viability. Additionally, GOPA collaborates with local governments, NGOs, and donors to maximize impact, improving health, quality of life, and economic development, all while ensuring that the solutions we provide are culturally appropriate. For example, in Jordan, GOPA worked with the Yarmouk Water Company to enhance wastewater treatment operations, focusing on sustainable management and organizational restructuring. 

Q: What are some of the most effective strategies to incorporate climate resilience into water and wastewater management initiatives? 

Jihad Abou Jamous: GOPA incorporates climate resilience into water and wastewater management by using adaptive strategies such as climate risk assessments, optimizing water resources through methods like water use efficiency and reducing the Non, and implementing green infrastructure projects like wastewater recycling. We also focus on energy efficiency, low-carbon technologies, and capacity building for local stakeholders to manage climate risks. Throughout these efforts, we pay close attention to the cultural appropriateness of our solutions. One example is our project “Climate and Resource Protection through Circular Economy (CIRCLE)” focused on providing advisory services for the development of a national training service for the solid waste management sector in Jordan. In this project, GOPA collaborated with the Greater Amman Municipality to develop waste management strategies tailored to local cultural contexts, enhancing both environmental and economic sustainability. We worked closely with the local communities, including technical experts and management teams, to incorporate existing cultural practices which helped us ensure that our solutions were the best fit. This often means working closely with women, who are often the ones who manage waste collection and disposal in households.  

Q: Can you share a couple of examples of innovative projects that you’ve implemented in the Middle East region?  

Jihad Abou Jamous: We work across Jordan, Iraq, and Yemen, focusing on decentralizing wastewater treatment systems to better fit local needs. In Jordan, for example, we worked with local authorities to address the critical issue of non-revenue water, which accounts for nearly 50% of the country’s freshwater loss due to leaks and illegal connections. By developing tools to measure, calculate, and propose solutions to reduce the non-revenue water, we helped conserve vital water resources, which is especially important in Jordan, one of the most water-scarce countries in the world. These solutions not only help conserve water as a valuable resource, but directly help entire communities for generations to come.  

GOPA also implemented a project in Iraq to enhance public service delivery for vulnerable populations. This initiative strengthened Kurdish institutional capacities by integrating water supply and waste management into a sustainable framework. By incorporating renewable energy solutions, we reduced operational costs and improved financial sustainability. GOPA engaged local communities in planning and implementation to foster ownership and established a monitoring and evaluation framework to track progress and ensure ongoing improvements.