JRC Collaboration Project: ICT as Enabler for Smart Water Management

1. ITU Workshop on “ICT as an Enabler for Smart Water Management” (Luxor, Egypt, 14-15 April 2013) Joint Research Centre Water Resources Management Technical and scientific cooperation in developing countries • JRC collaboration project in Africa: • NEPAD African Water Centre of Excellence • Aquaknow- Web Knowledge Management System for technical and scientific cooperation in the water sector • Exchange of experiences in water resources management between Europe, Africa, China and Latin America. Giorgia Donin Cesar Carmona Moreno

2. Industry Agriculture Drinking water Environment Tourism Energy • Joint Research Centre (JRC) • The European Commission’s • in-house science service • As the European Commission’s in-house science service, the • Joint Research Centre’s mission is to provide European Union • policies with independent, evidence-based scientific and • technical support throughout the whole policy cycle. • Key policy areas include: • ƒ Environment and climate change; • ƒ Energy and transport; • ƒ Agriculture and food security; • ƒ Health and consumer protection; • ƒ Information society and digital agenda; • ƒ Safety and security (including nuclear); JRC contribution to build the evidence base of the Water-Agriculture-Energy-Ecosystems Nexus • Evaluate availabilityand demand of water in terms of competing objectives of the different sectors • Look at the implications for waterresourcesallocation and water security • Agriculture and energy as the priority sectors in which water saving and efficiency should be improved in order to avoid scarcity Sizing future water gaps • Deliver integrated impact assessments of the water nexus in the face of increasing trends of global population, urbanisation, pollution, over-exploitation, climate change • Focus on Europe and Africa: twinningDanube-Niger and the Mediterranean region as pilot areas

3. USE OF LOCAL EXPERTISE (ex. WCoE) FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADAPTED SOLUTIONS I. The Southern and Western Water Centres of Excellence in Water Science and Technology • AUC - NEPAD • The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) aims to provide an overarching vision and policy framework for accelerating economic co-operation and integration among African countries. • The NEPAD Water Centres of Excellence • The NEPAD created the network of Water Centres of Excellence(WCoE) for institutions involved in research, education and innovation within the water sector. Such a network provides the basis for members to communicate and collaborate in order to build capacity and stimulate innovative research within the water sector in the African continent. The NEPAD WCoE initiative has been adopted by the African Ministers Council on Water and Technology (AMCOST) and African Ministers Conference on Water (AMCOW) in 2009. • NEPAD networks focus on the following five objectives: • Research • Education and training • Information brokerage • Networking • Service rendering  • EC support project • The EC, through its Directorate General JRC supports this NEPAD initiative with one specific project organised in 4 axes:

4. Southern African Centres of Excellence Network members Expected Results • Establishment of the Southern African Network of NEPAD Centres of Excellence in Water Science and technology; • Stakeholders analysis for capacity building in the water sector; • A capacity building strategy to improve advocacy and expertise for sector development in the region; • Implementation of the capacity building strategy through a series of training courses in the region; • A strategy to improve the dialogue between research and development partners; • Protocols of collaboration with the regional institutions such as AMCOW and SADEC; • Proceedings of an International conference on exchange of experiences in water resources management; • A strategy to improve Knowledge management in the water sector in the region. • www.nepadwatercoe.org/ • Stellenbosch University (South Africa) – coordinator • International Centre for Water Economics and Governance in Africa (Mozambique) • University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) • University of Western Cape (South Africa) • University of Malawi (Malawi) • University of Zambia (Zambia) • University of Botswana (Botswana) • The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR (South Africa) Western African Centres of Excellence Network members Expected Results • Establishment of the Western African Network of NEPAD Centres of Excellence in Water Science and technology; • Stakeholders analysis for capacity building in the water sector together with a needs prioritization; • Establishment of a regional joint training course based on the needs prioritized; • Protocols of collaboration with the regional institutions such as AMCOW and ECOWAS; • Capacity building on the improvement of knowledge management in the water sector in the region; • Analysis of the impact of climate variability on water resources availability in Western Africa. • www.aquaknow.net • University of Cheikh Anta Diop (Senegal)- coordinator • International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (Burkina Faso) • University of Benin (Nigeria) • National Water Resources Institute (Nigeria) • Kwame Nkrumah University for Sciences and Technology (Ghana)

5. Open – source standards • Modular - maximum flexibility • Low resource demanding system Technical requirements II.How ICT helps networking and capacity building?AQUAKNOW A Web Knowledge Management System for technical and scientific cooperation in the water sector www.aquaknow.net What? AquaKnow is an online interactive platform to share documents, data, information, ideas, experiences and work with other stakeholders involved in the WATER sector Why? To support the dialogue and the work of networks of practitioners, experts and institutions in the water sector through WEB technologies

6. Water sector constraints • Numerous Stakeholders : various level of decision and action • Fragmented information • Complex data: basic types up to models, GIS… Water Community Needs - User shape solution -Collaborative work/networking/learning tools • Content Management System (CMS) requirements • Open source software • User generated content • User friendly interface Custom WEB-based knowledge management tool

7. GIS Tool The Geographical Information System (GIS) tool allows users to share and visualize geographical data. The User Creates and Manages Content • Using DIRECT contribution of USER = first-hand information • NO DUPLICATION -> make knowledge searchable Spatial analysis operations

8. III. Conference on exchange of experiences in water resources management between Europe, China, Africa, and Latin America • Background • The conference “exchange of experiences in water resources management between Europe, China, Africa, and Latin America” was organised in the framework of the European Commission (EC) support project to the African Union/NEPAD Networks of Centres of Excellence in Water Science and Technology implemented by the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) • Where, who and when • The conference was held at the Joint Research Centre in Ispra (Italy) from the 15 to 18 October 2012. • The conference welcomed the JRC international water partnerships for water and development including: • the NEPAD Networks of Water Centres of Excellence as main contribution of the event, • the RALCEA-Latin American Network of Knowledge Centres in the water sector, • the China-Europe Water Platform Institutions and, • foremost European basin authorities with a long experience on the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive. • Topics • DAY 1: water stakeholders’ analysis and participation • DAY 2: water resources balance and assessment • DAY 3: water quality and sanitation Participants exchanged experiences and shared lessons learned = MUTUAL LEARNING AND BENEFITS

9. DAY 1: Water stakeholders’ analysis and participation • Some identified issues: Case study: A stakeholder need assessment for the SADC region In 2012 the Southern Africa Water Centres of Excellence (SANWATCE) network was contracted by the JRC to carry out an independent investigation into the skills shortages that exist in the SADC region, and to further discuss how the Centres of Excellence members of the SANWATCE could address sector expertise and advocacy for sector development in the region. Improve coordination between institutions managing water resources • Formulation of policies and best practices based on scientific results which are understandable for the stakeholders who will apply them • Targeting and adapting information and technologies for specific identified stakeholder and adapting it to user needs and understanding Such type of study could be replicated for the need of technologies by stakeholders at city, regional or country level. It is also of outmost importance to identify who can address these needs. Etc. Some recommendations: • Communication and dissemination • Scientists should set up protocols and tools for disseminating science and the role of technology in managing the water sector. • This dissemination should target water resource consumers and users as well as actors at the political level. Otherwise not sustainable! • Smarter water management should orient its technologies to stakeholder’s needs and local contexts. Technologies role and benefits should be made understood clearly and easily to water stakeholders in order to be useful and sustainable. • stakeholder’s analysis needs is important!

10. DAY 2: water resources balance and assessment Case study: EUROCLIMA- Regional Analysis Frequency (RFA-LM) with L-Moments • Some identified issues: UNESCO International Hydrological Program (IHP) has been promoting the development of national water balances in Latin America and the Caribbean. Its methodology is based on seasonal statistics variables representing water balance components in reference periods of 30 years. Local context and needs: Latin America is predicted to be one of the regions most affected  by climate change.  Need to built an approached based on the estimates of extremes rather than on average values! Poor access to data as well as access to good quality data Lack of sharing of data attitude from government bodies and private companies for example. Poor knowledge management behaviour and technologies Poor communication strategies to disseminate knowledge Establishment of a network of institutions and experts who are working on the dissemination of a regional frequency analysis based on L-moments methodology. Etc. Some recommendations: Knowledge management and data Good knowledge management and governance at country level and appropriate technology (software solutions, communities, wikies, networks etc.) are essential for the transfer, capture and creation of knowledge. Local context importance Access to data or appropriate technologies choices are dependent from local contexts. –Case study EUROCLIMA Pre-defined solutions do not work. Each technology, methodology or ways of accessing data and managing it must be context specific. Data related issues in Africa are very different than the ones suffered in Latin America for example. These details must be taken into considerations when developing a technology.

11. DAY 3: water quality and sanitation Case study: RALCEA – water quality and sanitation research axis The Latin American network of knowledge centres in the water sector facilitatesthe identification of needs, collaboration and exchange of information between the Centers of Excellence and their governments (called focal points). The water quality and sanitation axis is one out of 3 thematic research axis that the networks currently works on. It aim is to improve the knowledge on water quality and sanitation issues in Latin America and support the policy making level. • Some identified issues: Technologies are often not available, appropriate or affordable to local contexts Technology vs. polluter pays principle Inadequate preparation of end users to take up delivered technologies, including maintenance capacity, especially in rural areas Water actors are often conservative towards accepting new technologies. • The axis main tasks are: • Definition of a project portfolio to be implemented by the Centers of Excellence • the Development of a strategy for implementing each of the initiatives; • Deliver capacity building activities on water quality and sanitation for the participants; • Develop and adapt tools for water quality and sanitation. Cultural adaptation and good behaviour (e.g. hygiene, boiling water or other simple technologies such as carbon treatment) are often underestimated Urban context is a growing challenge. Etc. Some recommendations: • Costs • Innovation should include trying to be more cost effective and pay attention to the cost recovery. Efforts need to be made to demonstrate the effectiveness of new technologies. • Regulations • Appropriate regulations may be needed to implement these new technologies. • Link research, governments and population needs • Need to link research activities and population effective needs. Research must invest in technologies and solutions that have a short to medium term impact and not just focus on the long term research. This does require a more tailored approach for specific issues. The usefulness of technologies must understood and supported by governments for their sustainability. (RALCEA case study) • Old is (sometimes) good • Revisiting old technologies and already existing ones and basic practices also need to be considered. Application of these can be supported by training, capacity building and awareness raising. • The need to build capacities for taking ownership of appropriate technologies • For water related technologies there is a need to be mindful of costs when choosing and implementing a specific technology. Clear regulations and legislation framework must exist. Technologies must be linked to population effective needs otherwise they are useless but they must be understood and supported also by government institutions (for funding, long term sustainability etc.). No one-size-fits-all technology is applicable for all stakeholders, institutions or contexts.

12. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Contact Information: Giovanni BIDOGLIO, Head of Unit Water Resources UnitInstitute for Environment and Sustainability Joint Research CentreEuropean CommissionEmail: giovanni.bidoglio@jrc.ec.europa.eu Contact Information: Cesar Carmona Moreno Water Resources UnitInstitute for Environment and Sustainability Joint Research CentreEuropean CommissionEmail: cesar.carmona-moreno@jrc.ec.europa.eu