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File Title:	OPEN SOURCE GIS AND MOBILE DEVICES FOR WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT    Download
Description:	Driven by water scarcity, the need for service delivery and the large economic and environmental cost of supply-side sources such as dams, South Africa's water policy is focusing increasingly on manipulating demand to match available supply. Water Demand Management projects require constant monitoring and analysis of large amounts of data from various sources, and the use of a Management Information System (MIS) can improve project planning and implementation. However, a proprietary system may be prohibitively expensive for smaller providers, who are struggling to deliver services to areas marginalised during Apartheid. In addition, there is a need for systems which allow communities to monitor and manage their own water use, operating where hardware and technical skills are limited. Open Source software may offer a solution. Because the code can be modified by anyone, customization and integration are easily achieved, and as the software is free, only service costs are incurred. Adaptations for local conditions, including translations into local languages and simplified graphical displays for semi-literate users, can also be incorporated. To investigate the technical feasibility of an Open Source MIS for Water Demand Management, two modules were developed around a central spatial database. The data collection module uses mobile devices to collect water consumption data, transmits the data over the cellular network and validates and automatically inserts it into the database. The Meter Reading Manager module has a navigable map display which allows users to perform spatial and non-spatial queries, and produce informative maps and consumption graphs. Although the development process identified both strengths and weaknesses in the components comprising the prototype system, all the derived specifications could be met. The research argues for further development of an Open Source MIS for Water Demand Management, which may offer cost-effectiveness and usability lacking in proprietary systems.
Submitted On:	30 Oct 2006
Submitted By:	Simon Kelly (simon)
File Date:	30 Oct 2006
File Author:	M. Loudon, U. Rivett, T. Richards
Downloads:	189