Beyond Water Points: How Practitioners Are Expanding mWater’s Role in WASH and Infrastructure Management
While water point mapping is at the core of mWater/Solstice’s functionality, practitioners around the world are using the platform to manage infrastructure, respond to crises, and track performance at scale. From Angola to Kenya to the Democratic Republic of Congo, these examples show how the platform adapts to different mandates, operational models, and on-the-ground realities.
Angola (UNICEF)
In Angola, Solstice is at the heart of a Management Information System (MIS) that connects WASH infrastructure data with public health information to support both emergency and long-term planning. The MIS was originally designed for local governments to manage WASH services, but has evolved into a tool for broader infrastructure and development management.
Since a cholera outbreak began in December 2024, the MIS has been configured to overlay confirmed case locations with water points, health centers, gathering sites, and transportation hubs. This mapping supports targeted interventions in line with the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) framework and is designed to be redeployed in the case of future outbreaks.
Chris, Project Manager for the MIS focuses on ensuring the system produces actionable information that local governments can use to respond quickly in emergencies. On the operational side, a local team manages data collection in the field, helps design dashboards, prepares training materials for new staff, and sends data to the government. These combined efforts ensure the cholera response is data-driven and coordinated across different stakeholders.
Kenya (Dig Deep Africa)
In western Kenya, mWater/Solstice is central to the work of Dig Deep Africa, an implementing organization focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene programs. The team conducts baselines, follow-ups, and ongoing monitoring to ensure services meet community needs, using data to guide decisions on the best ways to assist.
The organization’s Data Manager, Nicky, has been in the role since February, after working with Dig Deep for four years in various capacities. Joining Dig Deep gave him the opportunity to design surveys and develop questionnaires, starting with a water-focused team of 44 enumerators.
With mWater, the team has digitized tools like Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) surveys, tracked sanitation material sales to inform restocking, and mapped sites for water systems, water points, and communities with unique IDs. These tools also support capacity building for WASH service providers, enabling county governments to monitor and strengthen local systems. Beyond professional use, he even uses mWater/Solstice at home. Previously, his wife recorded agricultural inputs and outputs for their farm on paper; now, they use dashboards to track production more easily.
Whether supporting a cholera response in Angola or streamlining sanitation supply chains in Kenya, mWater/Solstice can be used as a digital public good well beyond water point mapping. These practitioners have demonstrated how the platform's flexibility allows it to meet the needs of different organizations and individuals while strengthening the services they provide.