david schaub-jones - new ict tools in the african wash sector, may 24, 2013

By mid-2013 more Africans will have a mobile phone subscription than access to an improved water source

(Foster et al., 2012a)

In Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya After installing digital monitoring

systems coverage rates in urban areas were significantly revised.

Before: coverage rates were being reported at around 90% (across these three countries).

After: rates were reported at solely 47%

(GIZ 2009)

Lett

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Speed

CostMultiple recipientsArchive

Low barrier to entryPhotoGPS

What’s driving this?

CallCall

SMSSMS

USSDUSSD

Internet

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GPS

Database

Apps

Normal Smart

2 day workshop@ 40 people

co-hosted by SeeSaw and the University of Cape Town

explored ICT-related trends and challenges in both the WASH & health sectors.

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NGOs Donors Other ‘external’ actors

Information back to the community for discussion and debate

Local Government & other bodies

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Or to fieldworrkers

One - Offs

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Wide Experience

Kenya

Tanzania

Tanzania

India

Madagascar

Kenya

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a SeeTell Reportcovering the period

Fri 10 May 2013 in WeekSat 11 May 2013 19 of 2013Sun 12 May 2013

Staff Reporting:19/c/#1 Peter reported "I am in Zanzugu" from 233217564787 on Fri 10 May at 10:2119/c/#2 Wahab reported "I am in Cheko" from 233220819452 on Fri 10 May at 11:5619/c/#3 Shak reported "I am in Tijo" from 233257710367 on Fri 10 May at 11:5919/c/#7 Peter reported "I am in Kpanayili" from 233274263071 on Sun 12 May at 10:4819/c/#8 Wahab reported "I am in Gidantru" from 233276840456 on Sun 12 May at 14:13

Entrepreneur Reporting:19/c/#9 Neipegu reported "All is well" from 233206669643 on Fri 10 May at 08:34

19/c/#10 Tohnayili reported "All is well" from 233209924308 on Fri 10 May at 08:5719/c/#11 Zanzugu reported "I need more chlorine" from 233246815223 on Fri 10 May at 09:1419/c/#12 Kurugu Vohoyili reported "All is well" from 233247642559 on Fri 10 May at 09:2619/c/#15 Cheko reported "I need more buckets" from 233263367927 on Fri 10 May at 10:5619/c/#16 Kpalung reported "All is well" from 233265945312 on Fri 10 May at 11:1919/c/#17 Tijo reported "There is a problem with the tank" from 233542647885 on Fri 10 May at 11:2719/c/#18 Kpalguni reported "All is well" from 233241507796 on Fri 10 May at 11:4219/c/#19 Libi reported "All is well" from 233546909391 on Fri 10 May at 12:1219/c/#22 Bogu reported "All is well" from 233546808563 on Sat 11 May at 09:0819/c/#23 Buhjaa reported "I need more buckets" from 233248753683 on Sat 11 May at 09:5719/c/#24 Djelo reported "I need more chlorine" from 233509962389 on Sat 11 May at 11:3919/c/#25 Gariezegu reported "All is well" from 233217301538 on Sat 11 May at 12:4019/c/#26 Gbandu reported "All is well" from 233220556203 on Sat 11 May at 13:34

[email protected]






[email protected]






[email protected]

& various ways of geo-locating even missed calls

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Cape-Town based Focus: ICT & WASH services

1.Advice2.Training

3.Software

“ very interested not just in the technology, but how and why it gets used “

11/2 day training course @ 20 people

ICT-related trends and challenges

Discussed potential use of ICT in delegated

regulation

More data (on its own)

=Better Results

Too often the tools & the ability to collect data in a different way is the focus

Not sufficient attention to:1. what the data gets used for

2. how the provision of data can actually change the dynamics of the situation

3. how reliable the data is

4. who will continue to provide it once novelty value has worn off.

Yet design system to local context •just transplanting a system from one context to a new environment is generally troublesome.

> Won’t send SMS

> May Send SMS

> May phone

landline or come to

meeting

Only then see whether ICT systems can generate

- additional- better or - faster information

(and get it to where it is needed)

Before asking

What system?

come a range of other questions that people making decisions about using ICT need to ask

Hierarchy of questions to ask in developing a new ICT system (SeeSaw, 2013)

What system is appropriate to local

conditions?

Apr 2013 Regulatory conference

Improving regulatory processes by harnessing ICT

linear and closed flow of information

new ICT tools allow radical changes

Water services:can become a

vicious circle

Weak finances

Weak finances

Weak finances

Weak finances

Deterioration of assets


Poor servicesPoor services

Weak finances

Weak finances



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Customer dissatisfaction


Weak finances

Weak finances



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Low revenue collection


Weak finances

Weak finances



`

Weak finances

Weak finances






Weak finances

Weak finances



`

Our roles is to help

others use ICT ...

... as a tool to create a

virtuouscircle

Better revenue

collection

Better revenue

collection

Strong finances

Better revenue

collection

Strong finances

Investment in new assets

Quality services at a

fair price

Better revenue

collection

Strong finances


`


fair price

Customer Satisfaction

Better revenue

collection

Strong finances


`


fair price

Customer Satisfaction

Better revenue

collection

Strong finances


`

Better revenue

collection

How ICT offerings can address a range of challenges facing water utilities

Driver of poor performance Current situation in urban Africa

Potential ICT offerings

Mobile payments

SMS billing info

SMS operational info

Mobile meter reading app

Poor services • 19 hours of supply per day• One in eight samples pass chlorine test• Standpipe prices marked-up by factor of 3 to 4


• 78 complaints per 1000 customers• 46% of people think water services are handled ‘very badly’

or ‘fairly badly’


• Under-collection of bills costs US$500m a year• Collection ratio of 80%• Half of utilities have collection ratios below 50%

Weak finances• Half of African utilities fail to recover operating costs


• 35% of water lost, at a cost of US$400m a year• Between 1 and 5 pipe bursts per km per year• One in five public standpipes are non-functional

(Sattler & Schaub-Jones, 2012)

Regulators

Customers Providers

1998 Google founded2004 Facebook launched2007 M-Pesa created2008 More people access

internet on cellphones than PCs2008 First android phone ships2010 iPad launched

..... rather than ‘no data available’

A new issue? too much information, lack of relevant information

Qs/ what information to collect? from whom and how often ?

4Key lessons

Can pay for itself quite quickly •efficiency gains •costs saved

> A four country study that examined the development of mobile water payment systems across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

> The Ugandan water utility NWSC reports that monthly revenues have increased an average of 33 percent since offering the new payment system.

Hope et al, Oxford University 2011

Above all pay close attention to the incentives of key stakeholders

•those that need to adopt the system,•those whose inaction can block it &•those who will resist change altogether.

david schaub-jones - new ict tools in the african wash sector, may 24, 2013

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