Improving urban water and sanitation systems and building capacity in low- and medium-income contexts.
Many people living in low- and medium-income countries lack adequate water and sanitation services, and were these services are provided, climate-induced impacts threaten to disrupt them. To confront these issues and build resilience to climate change, there is a growing appetite to learn from the experiences of other locations and develop new ways to plan and manage urban water systems.
ISF has provided advice based on sound research and experience of improving water and sanitation service delivery under current challenging conditions, as well under projected climate impacts. This has included topics such as water conservation, drought response strategies, climate change adaptation, and improving the understanding of pathogen risks where pit latrines are prevalent.
Also explore International Development WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) to learn more about ISF's work in this space.
PROJECT | 2022-2025
Pacific health and sanitation solutions
This project aims to support improved access to safe, climate-resilient water and sanitation services in vulnerable and remote Pacific Island communities in Kiribati and Solomon Islands.
PROJECT | 2021-2023
Climate resilient urban sanitation
Equipping the urban sanitation sector with tools and knowledge for building climate resilience
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
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PROJECT | 2018-2021
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.
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 | 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 | 2016
Dynamic Adaptation Management Pathways for remote water supplies
The Dynamic Adaptive Management Process (DAMP) was designed to build the skills of community facilitators to lead participatory decision-making processes to plan for the delivery of basic services under a changing climate. It provides facilitators with a range of tools for leading conversations at the community level. It also helps to build skills and knowledge that will enable the community to participate in identifying relevant and appropriate solutions for their context.
To build the capacity to identify indicators/triggers among communities in the outer islands of Kiribati, the DAMP approach drew on various knowledge systems – including traditional knowledge – to define the limits of specific water-related adaptation strategies. This will empower them to monitor adaptation strategies and subsequently contribute to the development of future adaptation strategies that will support the diversification of water resources.
The DAMP Handbook draws on the experience of the authors and outcomes of a training workshop, and is aimed at community facilitators from non-government organisations, local and national governments, and service providers. It outlines a set of tools to better understand the impacts of climate change on possible water supply options and identify triggers for when a new water option should be planned. The tools and processes that are presented are flexible enough to be applied to a range of situations and sectors.
Client: USAID
Media
Islands of Resilience: USAID partners with island nation Kiribati to address the climate crisis - USAID website, April 2022
PROJECT | 2016
Making pathogens visible: improving urban sanitation
Wastewater treatment systems at household and community scale in Indonesia and other urban contexts are limited in their effectiveness in removing disease-causing pathogens. This paper put forward a tool, the Pathogen Hazard Diagram, to support understanding of the pathogen levels resulting from wastewater treatment systems.
Location: Indonesia
Client: DFAT
Wider program: Australian Development Research Award
Researchers: Cynthia Mitchell, Katie Ross, Kumi Abeysuriya
RESEARCH OUTPUTS
Making pathogen hazards visible: a new heuristic to improve sanitation investment efficacy (2016) (Journal Paper)
PROJECT | 2010-2011
Climate adaptation through sustainable urban development: Can Tho, Vietnam
As a contribution to the CSIRO/AusAID Research for Development Alliance case study, ISF researchers sought to discover feasible strategies or options for a sustainable water system for Can Tho City in Vietnam. The research aimed to address challenges to a water system posed by high rates of urbanisation, population increase and looming climate change.
Location: Vietnam
Client: CSIRO
Wider program: AusAid Research for Development Alliance
Researchers: Naomi Carrard, Juliet Willetts
