variety of relevant stakeholders in the water sector (such as municipalities, ministries, large utilities and regulatory agencies) to work together and get sensitised
about the potential of smart water systems. Thus, these processes can foster the
emergence of champions and advocates of smart water systems and, eventually, the
creation of a critical mass of people and institutions who could push the smart water
systems agenda beyond successful but isolated pilots. This push could eventually
result in the establishment of national and sectoral institutional frameworks that
promote and regulate the use of ICTs in the management of water systems.
The ICT-WIPs further represent a potentially transformational framework for
promoting smart water systems in developing countries. The results of this study
suggest that genuine partnerships can trigger a departure from the old-fashioned
hierarchical model of North-South cooperation in which resources (financial, technology, knowledge, etc.) flow from the North to the South. Although most of the
lead innovators in the analysed partnerships come from Western countries, our
interviews suggest that the partners have a general feeling of being mutually and
equally accountable for the innovation being developed and/or promoted. The
innovation partnership approach indeed fosters the mindset that any partner –
irrespective of their country affiliation – can be in the driver’s seat (e.g. being the
lead partner) in the promotion of smart water systems.
In the same way, the innovation partnership approach promotes the culture of
mutual learning, thus allowing partners to strengthen each other’s innovation competences relating to smart water systems in developing countries. This is particularly
true when – as in the case of the ICT-WIPs analysed in this study – some partners
come from foreign countries and thus need the knowledge and experience of local
partners (e.g. on problems facing water systems, existing solutions and their weaknesses, possible local risks). The ICT-WIPs analysed in this study involved various
types of mechanisms that foster a culture of mutual learning. Most of the partnerships adopted a model of decision-making that was collaborative and supported by
open dialogue. Mechanisms such as regular joint planning and review events (either
physically of via Skype calls) and joint committees enabled information and knowledge sharing among partnership members. In particular, through such mechanisms
domestic organisations operating in local environments could contribute their local
knowledge which is critical for developing relevant ICT solutions for water
management.
Finally, the nature of the ICT-focused water innovations analysed in this study
leads to the insight that fostering smart water systems in developing countries
requires a “rethink” of not only the technologies themselves but also the business
models around them. In other words, what is needed is not just ICTs but the
development of ICTs that fit the peculiar problems (technological, financial, social,
etc.) of developing countries. For instance, it is well known that weak ICT infrastructure (e.g. low Internet bandwidth) is one of the key barriers for implementing
smart water systems in developing countries. There are also issues regarding affordability of mainstream ICT solutions for water management, which explains why the
implementation of smart water systems in many developing countries often relies
on external (and unsustainable) donor funding [10]. This implies that the ICTs
Promoting Smart Water Systems in Developing Countries Through. . .
199
about the potential of smart water systems. Thus, these processes can foster the
emergence of champions and advocates of smart water systems and, eventually, the
creation of a critical mass of people and institutions who could push the smart water
systems agenda beyond successful but isolated pilots. This push could eventually
result in the establishment of national and sectoral institutional frameworks that
promote and regulate the use of ICTs in the management of water systems.
The ICT-WIPs further represent a potentially transformational framework for
promoting smart water systems in developing countries. The results of this study
suggest that genuine partnerships can trigger a departure from the old-fashioned
hierarchical model of North-South cooperation in which resources (financial, technology, knowledge, etc.) flow from the North to the South. Although most of the
lead innovators in the analysed partnerships come from Western countries, our
interviews suggest that the partners have a general feeling of being mutually and
equally accountable for the innovation being developed and/or promoted. The
innovation partnership approach indeed fosters the mindset that any partner –
irrespective of their country affiliation – can be in the driver’s seat (e.g. being the
lead partner) in the promotion of smart water systems.
In the same way, the innovation partnership approach promotes the culture of
mutual learning, thus allowing partners to strengthen each other’s innovation competences relating to smart water systems in developing countries. This is particularly
true when – as in the case of the ICT-WIPs analysed in this study – some partners
come from foreign countries and thus need the knowledge and experience of local
partners (e.g. on problems facing water systems, existing solutions and their weaknesses, possible local risks). The ICT-WIPs analysed in this study involved various
types of mechanisms that foster a culture of mutual learning. Most of the partnerships adopted a model of decision-making that was collaborative and supported by
open dialogue. Mechanisms such as regular joint planning and review events (either
physically of via Skype calls) and joint committees enabled information and knowledge sharing among partnership members. In particular, through such mechanisms
domestic organisations operating in local environments could contribute their local
knowledge which is critical for developing relevant ICT solutions for water
management.
Finally, the nature of the ICT-focused water innovations analysed in this study
leads to the insight that fostering smart water systems in developing countries
requires a “rethink” of not only the technologies themselves but also the business
models around them. In other words, what is needed is not just ICTs but the
development of ICTs that fit the peculiar problems (technological, financial, social,
etc.) of developing countries. For instance, it is well known that weak ICT infrastructure (e.g. low Internet bandwidth) is one of the key barriers for implementing
smart water systems in developing countries. There are also issues regarding affordability of mainstream ICT solutions for water management, which explains why the
implementation of smart water systems in many developing countries often relies
on external (and unsustainable) donor funding [10]. This implies that the ICTs
Promoting Smart Water Systems in Developing Countries Through. . .
199