On behalf of the German Government, GTZ contributes

to achieving these aims. ICT, if applied in line with local

conditions, can be a promising instrument towards impro-

ved and more eff ective management of the scarce water

resources. Software solutions for regulatory authorities or

resource management commissions facilitate their all im-

portant work.

ICT to support regulators

Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) services are essential

for human life and well-being. Ensuring that good quali-

ty water is distributed equitably, reliably and effi ciently is

the objective of the regulator. A task that often proves dif-

fi cult, because the basis of a sound WSS management is

usually missing: reliable information about the quantities

and qualities and how the system is managed. An Infor-

mation Technology based WSS system can add real value.

It provides regulators, policy makers and service providers

with the basic data for improving water services and with

the instruments to measure nationwide coverage. Bench-

marking, for example, allows the comparison of WSS

competitors and helps identifying good and bad perfor-

mers. Software solutions can promote accountability and

transparency in the water sector. Th e GTZ has successful-

ly supported the implementation of a digital monitoring

Approach

On a political level, the task of the international communi-

ty is to establish an institutional framework for world wide

action. On a national level, it is necessary to implement

modern water policy principles, to create adequate institu-

tional and legal frameworks as well as effi cient organisations

and eff ective administrative structures.

Context

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

have the potential to make a fundamental diff erence to

the lives of people all over the world. By creating access

to information, enabling communication and facilita-

ting transactions, technical solutions can help reaching

development objectives in various sectors. As the fi eld

of ICT for development is inherently multidisciplina-

ry, it off ers opportunities for e. g. good governance,

health or education. Th is topic sheet highlights the role

of ICT in supporting GTZ projects on water supply

and sanitation and water resource management.

Water shortages have become a constant challenge in

several regions of the world. Many countries are con-

fronted with problems associated with inadequate sup-

ply of drinking water, wastewater management and ba-

sic sanitation. More than half of the world’s population

will suff er from water shortages by the year 2015 if this

problem is not dealt with. Th rough the Millennium

Development Goals, the international community has

committed itself to halving the proportion of people

without access to safe drinking water and basic sani-

tation by 2015. Th is requires a number of actions at

all levels of development cooperation right up to the

international political arena.

The use of ICT in the Water SectorManagement Information Systems to support regulators and resource management

The use of ICT in the Water SectorManagement Information Systems to support regulators and resource management

Information and Communication Technologies for Development

Topic Sheetp

ContactDeutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH

Sector Project "ICT for Development"Dag-Hammarskjöld-Weg 1-565760 Eschborn/GermanyT +49 61 96 79-0F +49 61 96 79-1115E ict@gtz.deI www.gtz.de

system for water regulation authorities in Zambia, Tanza-

nia and Kenya. Long-term technical support in combi-

nation with a pronounced focus on the human and or-

ganisational factor has enabled the regulators to own the

process and accordingly, make it sustainable. In Zambia,

after the software developed with GTZ was installed, the

regulator NWASCO revealed that coverage rates for water

in urban areas had to be revised downwards from 90% to

47% compared to MDG monitoring. Accessable know-

ledge about the sector is crucial for eff ective strategies

on how to reach the water and sanitation MDG targets.

Resource management

Lake Chad and the Congo River Basin are amongst the lar-

gest natural water resources in Africa. Th e Lake Chad provi-

des water for more than 20 million people living in the four

countries that surround it. Th e Congo River, with a length

of 4,700 km, is the largest of the continent. Being used for

drinking water supply, agriculture, fi shery and transport,

both sources are economically, socially and politically very

important for all their riparian countries. Without a func-

tioning transboundary water management concept, these

common goods face a progressive degradation. Due to cli-

matic factors and the uncoordinated diversion of river fl ows

Lake Chad has lost almost 90 percent of its original surface

area in the past four decades. An integrated water resour-

ce management (IWMR) shall counter exploitation of the

ecosystem, have positive impacts on the social situation of

the population and lead to regional economic growth. Ga-

thering information as a basis to foster cooperation is the

central objective of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC)

and Commission Internationale du Bassin Congo-Ouban-

gui-Sangha (CICOS). Th e GTZ provides these authorities

with technical and methodological advice on establishing a

sound knowledge management system that improves coo-

peration in resource management between riparian states.

Impact

Resource information management leads to a better un-

derstanding of the complex natural environment on which

our lives depend, and how it evolves under the infl uence of

society. ICT can provide accessable data for rational deci-

sion making with respect to environmental issues both in

politics and corporate management. GTZ projects focus on

a demand-driven implementation of information techno-

logies for IWMR via joint capacity development in order

to encourage a responsible usage of the available water re-

sources.

Lessons learned

� ICT can serve as a facilitating medium, it is no

suffi cient condition; ICT can help attain the goal

of sustainable development when implemented

carefully

� implementation never completely fi nishes; there is

a continuous training and preventive maintenance

of the software and hardware

� ownership and sustainability of a new techno-

logical system can only be achieved when the

(predominantly free and open source) software

solution is demand oriented and complemented

by capacity development

� although the context may vary from country to

country, there is potential to learn from positive

experiences

Design

Barbara ReuterE barbarareuter-grafi k@web.de

Eschborn, July 2009