SMS-based drinking water quality surveillance in remote rural areas

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Hello everyone, I am interested in introducing SMS-based drinking water quality surveillance in rural areas.

I would appreciate any advice on the technology and experience of anyone who has used it. 

Which technology did you use? Are there any available user-friendly systems? 

How much would it cost and what are the benefits of using a SMS-based surveillance system for rural water quality monitoring. 

Thanks!

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13 Answers

  2. Hi Abdus, 

    You can definitely use our Magpi  system for that. Magpi allows for data collection via smartphone app, or by SMS or even IVR (voice).  To collect data via SMS, you would need a paid account (​starting at $500 per month ).  ​Advantages are ​that you could ​probably have ​the system up ​and running ​yourself within ​a day, as Magpi ​requires no ​programming, ​technical ​expertise, or ​server setup, ​etc.  You wouldn't need to spend anything on programmers, servers, technicians, etc.  And all ​accounts ​receive free ​tech support ​via email at ​support@magpi.com 

    Magpi also ​includes great ​built-in ​visualization ​and broadcast text/audio ​messaging. ​

    You can sign up for free at http://home.magpi.com  and ​I'm happy ​to answer ​questions via email or on a Skype call. ​

    Best, 

    Joel

  3. Hello Abdus,

    We provide the Compartment Bag Test (CBT), a portable water quality test for E. coli bacteria. The CBT Kit is ideal for on-site water quality testing in low resource, rural and disaster/emergency settings. Our test generates quantified (MPN), color-change test results for E. coli without the need for labs, electricity or expensive, cumbersome equipment. The CBT enables ambient temperature incubation at 25 degrees Celsius and above, works at variable temperatures and does not require constant temperature control in an incubator. 

    In addition, the CBT is supported by the mWater Mobile App, which is free.  Anyone with a smartphone or tablet can:

    • Automatically calculate CBT test results – Most Probable Number (MPN) of E. coli in 100 mL sample
    • Automatically calculate Upper 95% Confidence Interval of sample results
    • Automatically calculate World Health Organization Health Risk Category of sample
    • Share test results in real time
    • Create maps and visualizations of CBT water quality data
    • Geocode test results with smartphone GPS
    • Create your own surveys using the CBT or use mWater’s built-in surveys
    • Combine test results with other survey questions

    Please let me know if you have any questions!

    Thank you and regards,

    Lisa Hirsh  |  lhirsh@aquagenx.com
    Aquagenx  |  www.aquagenx.com

     

  4. Dear Abdus - this really depends on what parameters you are looking to measure. My company - TECTA-PDS, supplies a remote system for microbial detection, specifically E. coli and coliforms bacteria. The system is called the Tecta-B16, and it offers both email and SMS communications. It is extremely easy to use, provides fully automated results interpretation and reporting, and is US EPA approved for drinking water testing, among many other approvals. Materials attached here. Essentially we offer laboratory-grade results via remote, on-site testing. Please review and contact me at patrick.wolfe@tecta-pds.com if interested or any questions. 

    Thank you,

    Patrick

  5. Hi Mr. Abdus Saboor,

    Our company can do the remote & real time monitoring of water quality. It will as well give automatic red alert when there are water quality incidents. Please see the details of attached optical sensor. We would be eager to discuss in detail about this.

    best regards,

    Raghu.

    Optiqua Technologies Pte Ltd
    Water Hub, #C2-11/1
    82 Toh Guan Road East
    Singapore 608576
    Ph: +65 68969196

     

  6. Hi Abdus,

    Sorry for my late response.  Our own Magpi.com offers a wide variety of ways to collect data for surveillance, including mobile apps (for iOS and Android), SMS, and also IVR (voice).  You can read more about collecting data with SMS here.  I'd also be happy to talk with you, or to arrange a demo via Skype.

    Best,

    Joel

    1 Comment

  7. Dear Mr. Saboor,

    In my opinion you should open the posibilities also to other communications  alternatives (SMS, GPRS, Radio...), as depending on the site location it is not always SMS the best communication system. Another subject to consider is whether  you have power supply on the measuring point or if you need an "autonomous" telemetry system.

    In LACROIX SOFREL we have a lot of years of experience in many african countries to help our customers to operate remotly their water networks and infrastructures. Please contact me at j.latorre@sofrel.com to follow the discussion, and feel free to visit our web-site www.lacroix-sofrel.com where you wil lfind examples of projects we have develop with different water utilities around the world, case studies...

    Best regards,

    Jose Latorre

    Market Manager, LACROIX SOFREL

  8. Good question, the devil is in the details!

  9. Dear Abdus Saboor,

    Good and interesting discussion,

    “All peoples, whatever their stage of development and social and economic condition, have the right to have access to drinking-water in quantities and of a quality equal to their basic needs.” In most countries the principal risks to human health associated with the consumption of polluted water are microbiological in nature (although the importance of chemical contamination should not be underestimated). The risk of acquiring a waterborne infection increases with the level of contamination by pathogenic microorganisms. However, the relationship is not necessarily a simple one and depends very much on factors such as infectious dose and host susceptibility. In drawing up national standards for drinking-water quality, it will be necessary to take into account various local, geographical, socioeconomic and cultural factors. As a result, national standards may differ appreciably from the guideline values. In some countries, health authorities have adopted interim standards for intractable natural contaminants such as fluoride, pending the development of appropriate treatments for their removal from community supplies.

    Access to safe drinking water can prevent disease outbreaks, and lower diarrheal and other disease burden. Approximately 768 million people across the world lack access to an “improved” drinking water source  though an even larger number use a water supply that is unsafe or has an elevated sanitary risk (3.06 billion)

    Dependence on the state has meant that with the cost of water supply being high and cost recovery being poor, the financial sustainability of water schemes has run aground, and repairs and maintenance is abysmal. With people having no interest in using water carefully, the sustainability of water has itself become questionable

    The health burden of poor water quality is enormous. The problems of chemical

    contamination is also prevalent. Bacterial contamination of water continues to be a widespread problem across the country and is

    a major cause of illness and deaths

    Some procedure for rural water purification

    1.       Use boiled water.

    2.       Natural herbs are easily available

    3.       Neem leaf juice was found to be more effective than the Tulsi leaf juice in inhibiting the bacterial growth.

    4.       Neem juice could reduce the bacterial count from 1224 x 106 to 20 x 106 at maximum volume.

    5.       The effective antimicrobial activity of plants leaf extracts is due to the synergistic effect of the active components present in plant leaves. This technique can be effective for the water obtain from water sources having low degree of contamination or else.

    6.        Water can be given prior filtration with charcoal or fine sand to reduce the contamination load. It remains to be seen if sunlight experiments can be combined with herbal disinfection of water to achieve complete destruction of enteric bacteria.

    7.       Storage of water in an open reservoir provides  an opportunity for algae to grow and develop. This may become a moreserious problem than the one the reservoir was designed to solve. Algae grow on nutrients such as soluble nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, and some  other compounds found in surface water. The greater the quantity of these materials, the larger will be the growth of algae. A small amount  of nutrient, however, is enough to support some growth. Usually an indication of the possibility of algae growths can be found by observing other  ponds or lakes in the area.

    8.       Slow sand filtration is an excellent method of water treatment for rural water-supplies

    to reduce colour to a certain extent, depending on the size of sand grains and the rate of filtration.

     

    The slow sand filter is most practical in treatment of water under the

    following conditions :

    (I) gravity system of water supply;

    (2) raw water of reasonably good quality bacteriologically but subject

    to possible contamination;

    (3) water generally low in turbidity.

    9. Chlorine tablets are also available for bacteria.

    10.Graphene  Pure and safe Drinking water HRCM special Drum filter for rural areas, please see following link.

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6d4i4Xa9E0

     

  10. Dear Mr. Saboor,

    We have used our aquaReg and aquaSub controller, based on GSM-GPRS technology to perform these tasks. Now we have it ready for 3G.

    Please take a look at the attached presentation where the system and its performance is explained. We have experience with it on irrigating communities in Spain.

    Hope it helps

    Best regards

    Xavier Florensa

    ADASA Sistemas

    adasa@adasaproducts.com

  11. Dear Abdus,

    from our experience (http://adasaproducts.com/en/products/ ) instead of focusing in an specific technical solution (as SMS communications) we would prefer to know wich parameters are you willing to measure and where (wells, reservoirs, tap water?).

     

    1 Comment

    1. Thank you Sergio,

      Mainly field based parameters such as pH/EC, E. coli, turbidity and arsenic. I am seeking to get solution for having a system.... (if a water source operator, operate (either a well, water pump, a hand pump or any other community based waster sources like a piped water supply from a reservoir or spring) and do once a while field tests of the water supply and share the result through sms using locally available mobile netwrk and we have system in place in the capital that could gather information shared by any operator throughout the country.

       

      Regards

  12. RURAL AREAS PAPOLATIONS ARE GENERALLY POORERS ,  THERE IS NEED DRINKING WATER  FREE , CHEAP  OR OF  VERY LOW COST . 

    FOR THIS VERY EASY TO  WARM / BOIL WATER AS POLLUTION FEEL THERE IN AND AFTER FILTRATION  IT CAN BE USE . IN GROUP , IF TAKING WATER FROM WELL OR   ANY ARTIFICIAL STORAGE , THERE SHOULD BE DROP CLORINE POWER OR CLORINE TABLET ACCORDING TO STORAGE OF WATER AMOUNT THERE IN .

    THIS FORMULA CAN BE USE AS IN TECHONOLOGY ALSO BUT  R O  SYSTEM FILTRATION SHOULD AVOID  BECAUSE THIS SYSTEM MINIMISE NEEDED MINERAL  FROM WATER  WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR HUMAN BEINGS  AND  WHICH  CAN  CREAT  ILL HEALTH .--------------------------------------------------------------------DR T K SINHA , RETD  HYDROLOGIST  FROM U P GOVERNMENT , INDIA ;      CONSULTANT  HYDROGEOLOGICAL  ENVIRONMENTAL &  DISASTER  GEOLOGIST AND PRESIDENT , PARAYAVARAN CHETANA PEETH , VARANASI. 

    1 Comment

  13. Africaqua has registered its consumer base and relies with SMS system, the challenges are however the literacy levels are quite low in our last mile geographies, and the system is still very expensive on our expenses.

    1 Comment