Harnessing mobile communications innovations for water security

Hope, Rob; Foster, Tim; Money, Alex; Rouse, Michael J.

doi:10.1111/j.1758-5899.2011.00164.x

Cited by 24 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 9 publications

(8 reference statements)

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“…Over time, the community water management model 'steadily gain[ed] the status of received wisdom' (Kleemeier 2000, p. 931). However, with one in three handpumps not functioning at one time in Africa, there is increasing demand for a more sustainable approach, particularly to know where and when handpumps fail to avoid the significant health, income and welfare costs for rural residents living in remote areas (Harvey 2007;RWSN 2010;Hope et al 2012).…”

Section: Application and Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

GSM-enabled remote monitoring of rural handpumps: a proof-of-concept study

Thomson¹,

Hope²,

Foster³

2012

Journal of Hydroinformatics

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The continued expansion of mobile network coverage in rural Africa provides an opportunity for simple and low-cost hydroinformatic innovations to measure and transmit data on handpump use for policy and management improvements. We design, build and test a Waterpoint Data Transmitter to determine its robustness, functionality and scalability. Results demonstrate that this novel application using simple microprocessor, accelerometer and global system for mobile communications (GSM) components has significant potential in recording graduated time-step information flows of lever pumps which can be modelled into a reasonable water volume use approximation. Given the systemic informational deficit for rural waterpoints in Africa, where one in three handpumps is likely to be non-functioning, this innovation has the potential to provide universal, low-cost and immediate data to guide timely maintenance responses and planning decisions, as well as drive greater accountability and transparency in donor and government behaviour.

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Section: Application and Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

GSM-enabled remote monitoring of rural handpumps: a proof-of-concept study

Thomson¹,

Hope²,

Foster³

2012

Journal of Hydroinformatics

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“…A key reason for low cost recovery is low revenue collection. Payment of water bills to water service offices or through banks can be inconvenient and expensive [50]. Since 2009, at least 22 water service providers (WSPs) in seven African countries have offered the option of paying water bills by mobile money to 19 million customers.…”

Section: Risk Transformations To Universal Drinking Water Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Good use was made of new information technology with the introduction of electronic procurement and mobile water payment options [41]. Mobile water payment options through banks and telephone service providers were introduced, with utility pay points closed, saving over USD 420 000 per year in associated costs [50]. This facilitated improved collection efficiency, made it more convenient and less costly for consumers to pay their bills, and increased revenue.…”

Section: Risk Transformations To Universal Drinking Water Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The associated investment cost of installing 200 000 pumps that no longer function in Africa is USD 1.2-1.5 billion [49]. Currently, four out of every five people without improved water access reside in rural areas [50]. Minor improvements in operational performance, to keep handpumps working longer, would have a dramatic impact on maintaining and accelerating improved water supplies for rural people.…”

Section: (B) Operational Riskmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Risks and responses to universal drinking water security

Hope

Rouse

2013

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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Risks to universal drinking water security are accelerating due to rapid demographic, climate and economic change. Policy responses are slow, uneven and largely inadequate to address the nature and scale of the global challenges. The challenges relate both to maintaining water security in increasingly fragile supply systems and to accelerating reliable access to the hundreds of millions who remain water-insecure. A conceptual framework illustrates the relationship between institutional, operational and financial risks and drinking water security outcomes. We apply the framework to nine case studies from rural and urban contexts in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Case studies are purposively selected based on established and emerging examples of political, technological or institutional reforms that address water security risks. We find broad evidence that improved information flows reduce institutional costs and promote stronger and more transparent operational performance to increase financial sustainability. However, political barriers need to be overcome in all cases through internal or external interventions that require often decadal time frames and catalytic investments. No single model exists, though there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that risks to drinking water security can be reduced even in the most difficult and challenging contexts.

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“…For example, the need to better manage and improve response times to issues of non-compliance (illegal use), particularly during times of water shortage [45,61,140]. Core to network efficiency is also the monitoring of asset condition, with IM having the ability to provide data on meter performance and failure [45] and broader network operations [101].…”

Section: Network Efficiency: Leak Management Illegal Use and Asset Mmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intelligent Metering for Urban Water: A Review

Boyle

Giurco

Mukheibir

et al. 2013

Water

184

129

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This paper reviews the drivers, development and global deployment of intelligent water metering in the urban context. Recognising that intelligent metering (or smart metering) has the potential to revolutionise customer engagement and management of urban water by utilities, this paper provides a summary of the knowledge-base for researchers and industry practitioners to ensure that the technology fosters sustainable urban water management. To date, roll-outs of intelligent metering have been driven by the desire for increased data regarding time of use and end-use (such as use by shower, toilet, garden, etc.) as well as by the ability of the technology to reduce labour costs for meter reading. Technology development in the water sector generally lags that seen in the electricity sector. In the coming decade, the deployment of intelligent water metering will transition from being predominantly "pilot or demonstration scale" with the occasional city-wide roll-out, to broader mainstream implementation. This means that issues which have hitherto received little focus must now be addressed, namely: the role of real-time data in customer engagement and demand management; data ownership, sharing and privacy; technical data management and infrastructure security, utility workforce skills; and costs and benefits of implementation.

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Harnessing mobile communications innovations for water security

Cited by 24 publications

References 9 publications

GSM-enabled remote monitoring of rural handpumps: a proof-of-concept study

GSM-enabled remote monitoring of rural handpumps: a proof-of-concept study

Risks and responses to universal drinking water security

Intelligent Metering for Urban Water: A Review

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