Monitoring, Mapping and Institutionalising Data

1. Monitoring, Mapping and Institutionalising Data Lamin K.S. Souma: Acting Chief Engineer, Water Supply Division Ministry of Energy and Water Resources

2. Summary • The Water Point Mapping survey provides Sierra Leone with a “baseline” of the status of Water Points (WP’s) • Functional sustainability in service delivery remains a major challenge • The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) must address gaps in coverage • GoSL and WASH organisations must contribute to keeping mapping data updated

3. Outcomes of the WPM baseline survey • 28,845 “improved” WP’s mapped • 18,908 “improved” WP’s are used. [65%] • However 40% are seasonal WP’s Therefore……… • 11, 212 WP’s are classed as improved, in use and functioning all year round [39%]

4. Observations on the WPM survey • The impacts of our interventions “do not last” • Services provided are not cost effective • The need for continued extended support to communities is visible • The need to address basics and construct wells at the "right time of year“ • The need to safeguard against environmental degradation – monitoring groundwater resources • The importance of monitoring and ensuring functionality

5. Seasonal variation in access Wet season Dry season

6. Benefits of WPM • Provides visually mapped data for monitoring the status of water points • Highlights issues of equity, inclusiveness and targeting • Underpins Sector Performance Monitoring (SPM) • Will influence national and local level planning • WPM database can be integrated with hydrogeological database and other studies

7. Water Point Mapping…..next steps • Sierra Leone now has a baseline for water point coverage – the easy part • Updating maps and addressing non functionality is the major challenge • Need for a WASH sector strategy to deliver permanent services at national, regional and local levels • Need to improve sector monitoring and mapping so that WPM informs National Sector Learning Review

8. Five important considerations for WPM • WPM evidence should form the basis for national and local level planning • Ensure technology choices aligned to field capacities • WPM data needs to be collected, assimilated, verified, analysed and presented • Updating process needs to be sustainable • Requires dedicated staff to report on the status of water points

9. Sustainability (1) Issues to address • Technological challenges and the use of GIS • Procedures for collecting, reporting and updating WPM data • Accountability challenges – “collective action” to keep WPM data updated

10. Sustainability (2) Recommendations • Ensure technology choices are adapted to national and local capacities • Build capacity of government to make use of the WPM tools • Use visually mapped data to improve coverage levels and address issues of functionality

11. Sustaining a regular updating mechanism

12. MEWR next steps……. • Engage with MFED and DP’s to address gaps in coverage • Pursue models for keeping data updated • Ensure the WASH sector plans for permanent services from the outset • Undertake a second national baseline survey in 2014 • Encourage all WASH organisations to monitor functional sustainability - outcomes

13. Concluding comments • There are many important issues to address at national, local and organisational levels • Mapping data is important, but other monitoring data is also required • Need to establish strong links between monitoring, mapping and sector learning • Need to deliver permanent services at national, regional and local levels. This underpins the planning role of SPCT

14. Thank you for listening! Lamin Souma: Chief Engineer: Water Directorate MEWR