admin
26 June 2012
Interesting paper on low cost hydroinformatic innovation for monitoring rural handpumps.
Abstract:
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 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.
You can read the full paper here: http://www.iwaponline.com/jh/up/HYDRO-D-11-00183.pdf
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