Inclusive, sustainable urban water management to serve all.
Our work supports affordable and safe services in the context of integrated urban water management. We work with city authorities, utilities and communities to ensure reliable access to safe private (self-supply), piped and communal water services that meet the Sustainable Development Goal criteria for ‘safely managed’ services in terms of water quality, quantity and reliability. We also aim to conserve and re-use water resources, where possible.
PROJECT | 2023-2024
Resilience in a Changing Climate: Advancing Research on Groundwater for Equity (RECHARGE)
The RECHARGE project explores how to achieve safely managed, climate resilient water services in urban areas of Indonesia and Vietnam, where household use of groundwater is prevalent but water quality issues are of concern.
In Indonesia this includes a focus on the relative risks in different cities, depending on groundwater depth, type of water and sanitation services, land-use and other factors. It also includes examining the extent of contamination from onsite sanitation systems and relationship to rainfall, as well as behaviour change approaches to shift from self-supplied groundwater to piped water services.
In Vietnam the project has a strong emphasis on social inclusion and climate resilience in groundwater access. It explores the role of groundwater as a primary source of drinking water in Soc Trang and Tra Vinh provinces. The research investigates household experiences of groundwater access and use, climate change impacts, and how water service providers and governments are grappling with the complexity and uncertainty of managing groundwater-based water services that are inclusive and climate resilient.
Client: Water for Women funded by the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
Partner: Universitas Indonesia, University of the South Pacific
Researcher: Juliet Willetts, Diana Gonzalez Botero, Naomi Carrard, Tim Foster, Jeremy Kohlitz
PROJECT | 2021-2022
Urban water guide
Urban water managers globally are now rethinking how to tackle water management issues, especially in light of climate change impacts on water systems and communities. This Guide, led by the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities and the Institute for Sustainable Futures, outlines key principles and considerations for developing integrated and inclusive approaches to managing water, energy and nutrient resources for low-energy and nature-based solutions.
Client: Australian Water Partnership (AWP)
Researcher: Melita Grant
PROJECT | 2018-2022
Transitioning to safely managed water services: Risks and opportunities of self-supply for vulnerable populations
Evaluates risks and opportunities associated with self-supply water sources and the effects on transitioning towards safely-managed services for poor households across Asia-Pacific.
RESEARCH OUTPUTS
Self-supply for safely managed water: To promote or to deter? (2022) (Policy Brief)
Riset: masyarakat Indonesia harus keluarkan Rp 14,5 triliun per tahun untuk air minum dari sumur (2022) (Conversation Article)
Transitioning to safely-managed water services in self-supply contexts (Website)
Self-supplied drinking water in low- and middle-income countries in the Asia-Pacific (2021) (Journal Paper)
Faecal contamination of groundwater self-supply in low- and middle income countries: Systematic review and meta-analysis (2021) (Journal Paper)
The Occurrence of Escherichia coli in Groundwater of Bekasi City (Case Study: Jatiluhur, Sumur Batu, and Jatirangga Urban Villages) (2021) (Conference Paper)
Effectiveness of Groundwater Boiling as Household Water Treatment in Metro and Bekasi Cities, Indonesia (2021) (Conference Paper)
Self-Supply Service Level Assessment as Drinking Water Source in Bekasi City (Case Study: Jatiluhur, Sumur Batu, and Jatirangga Villages) (2021) (Conference Paper)
Sanitation inspection of household fecal containment in Bekasi, Indonesia (2021) (Conference Paper)
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PROJECT | 2016
Be Secure: Philippines drought response rapid appraisal and planning
Supported by USAID’s Be Secure program, ISF conducted a rapid appraisal of complex water resources contexts, and identified options for two cities facing drought in the Philippines.
The Ilolo region had faced a severe water deficit and a severe drought in 2016, driven by El Niño. Response and management was complicated by the mix between town supply and self-supply, as not all Iloilo households are connected to supply from the main utility (Metro Iloilo Water District). Many end-users accessed multiple sources of water, including through on-selling, with crossovers between who buys and sells. This created challenges in providing alternative services such as water efficiency and recycled water to manage drought.
Our analysis showed important additional potential for water security measures via improved rainwater capture, particularly for the high demand industrial and commercial sector and water efficiency. Considerable opportunities also exist for increased water recycling.
Client: AECOM
Researchers: Stuart White, Joanne Chong
PROJECT | 2019 - 2022
Water demand management support services to the Water Authority of Fiji
ISF has worked with the Water Authority of Fiji on a number of water management projects. This project aimed to bring Fiji's water demand down to 180 l/p/day through residential water leak reduction and water conservation education and awareness.
We provided field staff with facilitated training on how to undertake household water audits, and instal loggers on flowmeters. We also conducted on-the-job training, teaching staff how to input data into ISF-designed bespoke templates, and how to analyse this data to support meaningful decisions.
To date, ISF has supported the delivery of the Water Authority of Fiji's Water Conservation Strategy, Permanent Water Conservation Policy and their Water Conservation Implementation Plan to reach their target of 180l/p/d by 2033.
ISF also conducted a Wasted Water Study using household audit information and flowmeter data to estimate how much water was being lost due to leaks, and show how much could be saved through more efficient fixtures. The breakdown of the various end-uses for residential customers in Suva was estimated and a business case was prepared to demonstrate the high return on investment to the Water Authority of Fiji if they invested in showerhead exchange and leak-reduction programs.
Client: Water Authority of Fiji
PROJECT | 2017
Roadmap for urban water security: Sao Paulo, Brazil
In 2014 and 2015, the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil endured a two consecutive seasons of extremely low rainfall and declining water availability more severe than in any period on record. The city of over 20 million people came perilously close to a crisis situation of widespread water shortages.
ISF was engaged by the Government of São Paulo, with support from the Australian Water Partnership, to rapidly assess the responses to date including supply, bill rebates, leakage management and water efficiency, and develop the high-level Roadmap for Urban Water Security for metropolitan São Paulo.
This roadmap includes high-potential and cost-effective long term readiness initiatives, regulatory and institutional developments to enable funding for water efficiency initiatives, a mechanism for planning contingency measures to be triggered as drought progresses, and research/analytical and planning requirements to prepare a detailed action plan.
Location: Sao Paulo
Client: Australian Water Partnership (AWP)
Researchers: Stuart White, Joanne Chong
PROJECT | 2015
Pathways to One Water
Outlining methods to prompt a necessary transformation of the way water services are considered and managed.
