chapter. With these themes, matrices were first created in which the data and
information collected was systematically captured; then a meta-analysis was
conducted.
5 Results and Analysis
This section presents a meta-analysis of the 24 VIA Water ICT-WIPs, using the
3 sets of variables presented in Sect. 3.4 as a structuring framework. The variables
are (1) characteristics of ICT-WIPs (nature of innovations, types of partners, formation of partnerships), (2) resources exchange during the execution of partnerships
(types and exchange mechanisms) and (3) partnership governance mechanisms. This
section further analyses some of the challenges reported by the VIA Water
ICT-WIPs.
5.1 Characteristics of VIA Water ICT-WIPs
5.1.1 Nature of Innovations
As indicated previously, the VIA Water programme supports innovations that
address water challenges in urban environments – so are the ICT-focused water
innovations analysed in this study. Figure 2 illustrates the relationship between the
components of a (simplified) urban water system and different ICT-focused water
innovations supported by VIA Water as described in Table 2. The numbers indicated
in Fig. 1 correspond to the numbers assigned to the innovation projects in Table 2. It
should be noted that some innovation projects relate to several components (of the
water cycle) simultaneously, which makes it difficult to assign them to one particular
component. For example, the (online) interactive map and associated mobile application proposed in the Map action Bamako project in Mali (# 19) allow community
members to report any WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene)-related problems, and
these could be identified at any of the components of the urban water cycle. Such
ICT-focused water innovation projects were placed in the centre of Fig. 2 (see the
quad arrow pointing in multiple directions).
The ICT-focused water innovations supported by VIA Water are diverse, but they
all aim at improving urban water management by enabling real-time monitoring of
urban water systems and knowledge-based decision-making (with regard to different
components of the urban water cycle). The water innovations that serve the objective
of “real-time monitoring” relate to the monitoring of both water quantity and quality.
They involve ICTs that allow, among other things, real-time leak detection and realtime networks monitoring (e.g. Upande’s Non-Revenue Water reduction project in
Kenya, # 11) and real-time water quality management (e.g. World Waternet’s
Geolocating water quality project in Mali, #20, Orvion BV’s Water quality
Promoting Smart Water Systems in Developing Countries Through. . .
183
information collected was systematically captured; then a meta-analysis was
conducted.
5 Results and Analysis
This section presents a meta-analysis of the 24 VIA Water ICT-WIPs, using the
3 sets of variables presented in Sect. 3.4 as a structuring framework. The variables
are (1) characteristics of ICT-WIPs (nature of innovations, types of partners, formation of partnerships), (2) resources exchange during the execution of partnerships
(types and exchange mechanisms) and (3) partnership governance mechanisms. This
section further analyses some of the challenges reported by the VIA Water
ICT-WIPs.
5.1 Characteristics of VIA Water ICT-WIPs
5.1.1 Nature of Innovations
As indicated previously, the VIA Water programme supports innovations that
address water challenges in urban environments – so are the ICT-focused water
innovations analysed in this study. Figure 2 illustrates the relationship between the
components of a (simplified) urban water system and different ICT-focused water
innovations supported by VIA Water as described in Table 2. The numbers indicated
in Fig. 1 correspond to the numbers assigned to the innovation projects in Table 2. It
should be noted that some innovation projects relate to several components (of the
water cycle) simultaneously, which makes it difficult to assign them to one particular
component. For example, the (online) interactive map and associated mobile application proposed in the Map action Bamako project in Mali (# 19) allow community
members to report any WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene)-related problems, and
these could be identified at any of the components of the urban water cycle. Such
ICT-focused water innovation projects were placed in the centre of Fig. 2 (see the
quad arrow pointing in multiple directions).
The ICT-focused water innovations supported by VIA Water are diverse, but they
all aim at improving urban water management by enabling real-time monitoring of
urban water systems and knowledge-based decision-making (with regard to different
components of the urban water cycle). The water innovations that serve the objective
of “real-time monitoring” relate to the monitoring of both water quantity and quality.
They involve ICTs that allow, among other things, real-time leak detection and realtime networks monitoring (e.g. Upande’s Non-Revenue Water reduction project in
Kenya, # 11) and real-time water quality management (e.g. World Waternet’s
Geolocating water quality project in Mali, #20, Orvion BV’s Water quality
Promoting Smart Water Systems in Developing Countries Through. . .
183