A Community Water System Mapping (CWSMap) Platform for Supporting Rural Water Operators

Abstract

Community water systems (CWSs) are critical for any community, but optimal management can be difficult. External pressures such as climate change and internal pressures such as a lack of finance or training can significantly affect the operation and maintenance of CWSs in low-resource settings. In addition, millions of CWSs remain unmapped and unanalyzed due to a lack of targeted digital technologies. While higher-income urban utilities can transition into a digital water system ecosystem, many marginalized communities are left behind. CWSMap aims to solve this problem by providing a simple, low-cost digital platform to map, analyze, and manage CWSs targeting volunteers and informally trained water operators. Water operators often face questions around over/under pressurization and flow rates, network expansion, water treatment installations, and maintenance prioritization. CWSMap can help democratize access to advanced digital technologies in marginalized communities to solve pressing local challenges.