Mobile data tools for improving information flow in WASH

Matt Ball1, Zarah Rahman1, Michael Champanis2, Ulrike Rivett2 & Ranjiv Khush1

1The Aquaya Institute, San Francisco, USA2iCOMMS, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Mobile Data Tools for Improving Information Flow in WASHLessons from Three Field Pilots

How can local governments and water

suppliers improve water quality testing in

poor and remote areas?

How can they best use water quality data

to guide management policies and

practices?

Aquaya

E. Coli Test & Portable Incubator

Aquatest Monitoring for Safe Water

Evaluating constraints to microbial testing

Mobile Data Solutions

Mobile data in professional settings

Reduce gaps in data transmission?

• Better response times

• Greater accountability

Strengthen institutional links by improving

information flow?

• Financial and technical support

Hue Water Company, Vietnam

Teuk Saat 1001, Cambodia

District Health Offices, Mozambique

Reporting Formats

Data submission: Vietnam

• 8 months - 15 WTPs, 3 Rivers - 608 Forms Total• Average 9 out of 17 sites reporting

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 310

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Week

Site

s R

ep

ort

ing

Data submission: Mozambique

Submissions by District, Mozambique

Challenges

Technical • Unreliable cellular network

• Unstable phone settings

Managerial• Phone credit

• Personal use

Benefits

Data gaps? • Only in where reporting was minimal,

(Mozambique)

Information flows/institutional support? • Rapid identification of risks • Awareness at higher administrative levels• More discussion of responsibilities and use of

data

Long-term use

Dedicated service providers vs local

hosting

Integration with full range of user activities

Integration with existing data systems

Thank you

iComms group, University of Cape Town: Ulrike Rivett & Michael Champanis

Teuk Saat 1001: Chay Lo, Leakhana Phuong and Marie Yen

UNICEF Mozambique: Sam Godfrey & Matteus Van der Velden, UNICEF Mozambique

HueWaco: Tran Thi Minh Tam Aquaya: Matt Ball & Zarah Rahman