Rural Water Collection Patterns: Combining Smart Meter Data with User Experiences in Tanzania
Water collection from piped water distribution systems (PWSs) in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa is not understood in much detail. Here, distances travelled to distribution points (DPs), volumes collected, times of day of collection, and the relationship between location of DP and volume dis...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-04-01
|
| Series: | Water |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/4/1164 |
| _version_ | 1797570226351505408 |
|---|---|
| author | Will Ingram Fayyaz Ali Memon |
| author_facet | Will Ingram Fayyaz Ali Memon |
| author_sort | Will Ingram |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water collection from piped water distribution systems (PWSs) in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa is not understood in much detail. Here, distances travelled to distribution points (DPs), volumes collected, times of day of collection, and the relationship between location of DP and volume dispensed are investigated in a rural community in Tanzania using a combination of novel smart pre-payment meters and results from surveys and interviews. Continuous availability of water through pre-payment smart meters is shown to eliminate queue time, freeing time for farming or schooling, and enhance revenue collection for service provision. 97% of users use DPs as a main source of drinking water as opposed to unimproved alternative sources, and 42% live further than 400 m from a DP. Collection occurs across daylight with greater volumes dispensed in the afternoon–evening due to free time from economic activities and children returning from school. A low mean daily collection of 47 L per household from DPs is approximated. Volume dispensed across different DPs over time shows no clear pattern. However, the volume dispensed is indicated by the number of households that use each DP. Increasing PWS capacity can accommodate for variable collection patterns, and help improve sustainability of rural water supply. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:21:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-166a2ee7cc2e496baf9c21adc64e1f8d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:21:54Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-166a2ee7cc2e496baf9c21adc64e1f8d2023-11-19T22:03:56ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-04-01124116410.3390/w12041164Rural Water Collection Patterns: Combining Smart Meter Data with User Experiences in TanzaniaWill Ingram0Fayyaz Ali Memon1Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, UKCentre for Water Systems, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, UKWater collection from piped water distribution systems (PWSs) in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa is not understood in much detail. Here, distances travelled to distribution points (DPs), volumes collected, times of day of collection, and the relationship between location of DP and volume dispensed are investigated in a rural community in Tanzania using a combination of novel smart pre-payment meters and results from surveys and interviews. Continuous availability of water through pre-payment smart meters is shown to eliminate queue time, freeing time for farming or schooling, and enhance revenue collection for service provision. 97% of users use DPs as a main source of drinking water as opposed to unimproved alternative sources, and 42% live further than 400 m from a DP. Collection occurs across daylight with greater volumes dispensed in the afternoon–evening due to free time from economic activities and children returning from school. A low mean daily collection of 47 L per household from DPs is approximated. Volume dispensed across different DPs over time shows no clear pattern. However, the volume dispensed is indicated by the number of households that use each DP. Increasing PWS capacity can accommodate for variable collection patterns, and help improve sustainability of rural water supply.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/4/1164water collectionruralsub-Saharan Africasmart meter |
| spellingShingle | Will Ingram Fayyaz Ali Memon Rural Water Collection Patterns: Combining Smart Meter Data with User Experiences in Tanzania Water water collection rural sub-Saharan Africa smart meter |
| title | Rural Water Collection Patterns: Combining Smart Meter Data with User Experiences in Tanzania |
| title_full | Rural Water Collection Patterns: Combining Smart Meter Data with User Experiences in Tanzania |
| title_fullStr | Rural Water Collection Patterns: Combining Smart Meter Data with User Experiences in Tanzania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rural Water Collection Patterns: Combining Smart Meter Data with User Experiences in Tanzania |
| title_short | Rural Water Collection Patterns: Combining Smart Meter Data with User Experiences in Tanzania |
| title_sort | rural water collection patterns combining smart meter data with user experiences in tanzania |
| topic | water collection rural sub-Saharan Africa smart meter |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/4/1164 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT willingram ruralwatercollectionpatternscombiningsmartmeterdatawithuserexperiencesintanzania AT fayyazalimemon ruralwatercollectionpatternscombiningsmartmeterdatawithuserexperiencesintanzania |