The Water Institute at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA) has published the eight edition of their WaSH Policy Research Digest. The focus is on Remote Monitoring of Handpump Functionality.
Key Policy and Programmatic Takeaways
- Data from remote sensors on handpump uptime and failures can increase operational performance, but only when combined with a highly responsive maintenance service.
- Advanced data analytics open up the possibility of predicting faults and undertaking pre-emptive repairs, potentially reducing downtime to zero, but this must be weighed against the cost of sensors.
- Data from remote sensors could contribute to regulatory and contractual oversight, supporting the creation of rural water utilities and effective performance contracts.
The Digests are an easy-to-access knowledge and information resource, helping users navigate the myriad of (often cumbersome, and sometimes conflicting) research journals and publications to extract relevant policy advice.
Published quarterly, the Digests comprises a review of a recent article or report, and a short literature review on a WaSH topic. It provides objective, concise, and timely information to advise WaSH policy development.
Download Issue #8, May 2018: Remote monitoring of Handpump Functionality