CWSA/SMARTer WASH identify new technologies to monitor existing water systems

The Community Water and Sanitation Agency, CWSA, has engaged relevant stakeholders to disseminate the findings of the SMARTer WASH project baseline data on functionality and service levels of all existing rural and Small Town Water Systems in the Upper East Region. 

The forum was to identify gaps in service delivery with the view to encouraging the various Assemblies to improve on service delivery while ensuring the sustainability of the water facilities. 

Participants were presented with factsheets and briefed on the outcomes of the 2014/2015 service monitoring process jointly undertaken by the CWSA and the assemblies. 

The further showcased the achievements in advancing ICT technologies for rural water services monitoring and process towards the establishment of regional level baseline data.  

Radio Ghana’s Isaac Asare reports that, the SMARTer WASH Project managed by the CWSA aims at building tools and systems for rural monitoring nationwide. 

This is a build-up of an initial pilot project nicknamed “The Triple X”, which was to test the monitoring processes in three successful pilot districts. 

Based on the success story, it became necessary to scale up the project under the SMARTer WASH Project in 119 districts in six regions, namely; the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Central, Western and the Brong Ahafo regions. 

The move was to ensure the provision of adequate water supply in a sustainable manner that guarantees access to water in beneficiary districts and communities. 

The project however works by ensuring the availability of regular and up to date information on services provided by the CWSA. 

Based on the project implementation, data gathered is essential for DAs to undertake proper planning and budgeting to assist them take remedial actions to improve on the gaps and levels of services. 

Additionally, decision makers can incorporate those plans in their medium term development plans and also improve in wash services delivery by ensuring that disbursements are made for effective monitoring and evaluation. 

In order to achieve this long term goal, the project has employed workable interventions for effective data collection. 

Among them is the introduction of the SMS alert system set up by SkyFox, a Ghanaian private company. 

At the meeting it was established that data gathered will be compiled into a “State of the Rural Water and Sanitation Sector Report”  to provide a stronger framework for service level benchmarking that can lead to long lasting service. 

To this backdrop, the Project Coordinator of the SMARTer WASH project, Jeremiah Atengdem said his outfit was working towards the regular update of the baseline data so that assemblies involved can have access to the required data to write proposals and seek additional funding to improve on service delivery.

Series of presentations gave an overview and functionality of potable water supply facilities in rural areas and small town in the region. 

It was realised that almost two thirds of hand pumps and piped schemes managed by Water and Sanitation Management Teams, were fully functional. 

However, the performance of the teams in keeping up to date records on accessibility and quality were abysmally low, an indication that facility management plan and information flow was lacking. 

The Director In Charge of Planning and Investments at the CSWA, Benedict Kubabom urged the DAs to move away from the paper process of monitoring and embrace the SMS system to know the state of the facilities.

The SMARTer WASH initiative is being supported through a partnership with IRC Ghana, AKvo and SkyFox, with funding by the Government of Ghana, the Dutch Government, the World Bank, UNICEF, the Conrad Hilton Foundation and SNV. 

The Regional Stakeholder forum on monitoring rural and small towns’ water services brought together MDCEs, Coordinating Directors, and WASH development partners among other NGOs in Water and Sanitation.

GBC