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Article

When Are Mobile Phones Useful for Water Quality Data Collection? An Analysis of Data Flows and ICT Applications among Regulated Monitoring Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa

by
Emily Kumpel
1,*,
Rachel Peletz
1,
Mateyo Bonham
1,
Annette Fay
1,
Alicea Cock-Esteb
1 and
Ranjiv Khush
2
1
The Aquaya Institute, Nairobi 00505, Kenya
2
The Aquaya Institute, Larkspur 94939, CA, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12(9), 10846-10860; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120910846
Submission received: 17 July 2015 / Revised: 25 August 2015 / Accepted: 27 August 2015 / Published: 2 September 2015
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Abstract

Water quality monitoring is important for identifying public health risks and ensuring water safety. However, even when water sources are tested, many institutions struggle to access data for immediate action or long-term decision-making. We analyzed water testing structures among 26 regulated water suppliers and public health surveillance agencies across six African countries and identified four water quality data management typologies. Within each typology, we then analyzed the potential for information and communication technology (ICT) tools to facilitate water quality information flows. A consistent feature of all four typologies was that testing activities occurred in laboratories or offices, not at water sources; therefore, mobile phone-based data management may be most beneficial for institutions that collect data from multiple remote laboratories. We implemented a mobile phone application to facilitate water quality data collection within the national public health agency in Senegal, Service National de l’Hygiène. Our results indicate that using the phones to transmit more than just water quality data will likely improve the effectiveness and sustainability of this type of intervention. We conclude that an assessment of program structure, particularly its data flows, provides a sound starting point for understanding the extent to which ICTs might strengthen water quality monitoring efforts.
Keywords: mobile phone data collection; sub-Saharan Africa; water quality; water monitoring; health agencies; developing countries; water utilities; information and communication technologies (ICTs) mobile phone data collection; sub-Saharan Africa; water quality; water monitoring; health agencies; developing countries; water utilities; information and communication technologies (ICTs)

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kumpel, E.; Peletz, R.; Bonham, M.; Fay, A.; Cock-Esteb, A.; Khush, R. When Are Mobile Phones Useful for Water Quality Data Collection? An Analysis of Data Flows and ICT Applications among Regulated Monitoring Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12, 10846-10860. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120910846

AMA Style

Kumpel E, Peletz R, Bonham M, Fay A, Cock-Esteb A, Khush R. When Are Mobile Phones Useful for Water Quality Data Collection? An Analysis of Data Flows and ICT Applications among Regulated Monitoring Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2015; 12(9):10846-10860. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120910846

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kumpel, Emily, Rachel Peletz, Mateyo Bonham, Annette Fay, Alicea Cock-Esteb, and Ranjiv Khush. 2015. "When Are Mobile Phones Useful for Water Quality Data Collection? An Analysis of Data Flows and ICT Applications among Regulated Monitoring Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 12, no. 9: 10846-10860. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120910846

APA Style

Kumpel, E., Peletz, R., Bonham, M., Fay, A., Cock-Esteb, A., & Khush, R. (2015). When Are Mobile Phones Useful for Water Quality Data Collection? An Analysis of Data Flows and ICT Applications among Regulated Monitoring Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(9), 10846-10860. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120910846

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