Scoping Mission Water Information System

On Dec 14th 2009 the Cabinet of Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority endorsed an “Action Plan for Reform” towards the definition and implementation of a comprehensive programme of institutional and legislative reform in the Palestinian water sector. As the central body in the sector, the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) has the mandate to lead the water sector reform process in coordination with the established Reform Steering Committee (RSC). The overall reform is expected to include the reorganization of the water sector and the institutions within, capacity building, and the revision of strategies and policies, when necessary, as a result of any change that takes place in the architectural arrangement of the sector. The sector reform has the following objectives:

• With regards to institutions, the sector reform will establish strong (capable) and sustainable institutions within a legal framework that clearly defines their roles, responsibilities and the interface (relationship) between them.
• With regards to infrastructure needs, the sector reform will improve water supply and sanitation strategies, policies, investment programs, project designs, and the implementation of projects, in an effort to substantially accelerate infrastructure development.
• With regards to service provision, the sector reform aims to accelerate equitable access to a quality service, while providing improved efficiency and cost-recovery of effectively regulated water operators.
• With regards to water resources management, the sector reform will help to build the institutional knowledge, policies, and monitoring and enforcement capacities, as part of an effort to achieve a more sustainable water resources management strategy.
• With regards to water consumers, the sector reform will aim at improving water demand management awareness in line with the development of water conservation policies.

During 2011-2014 ORGUT provides a Technical, Planning and Advisory Team (TPAT) to PWA with technical assistance and capacity building during the transition period, in an effort to assist in the implementation of the reform, serving as a stop-gap for capacity during the transition period, and ultimately building capacity within the PWA. As part of TPAT, ORGUT carried out a specific assignment to support PWA in improving the Water Information System (WIS).

The Databank Department (DBD) of the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) is responsible for maintaining and improving the PWA Water Information System (WIS). The WIS is being built in-house based on an earlier (2004-2006) Oracle WIS developed and used in the Gaza office of the PWA. The PWA-DBD has received financial support from UNICEF and has worked on the WIS since 2011. While a considerable amount of work has been done, the end-users of the WIS have indicated that to date the database is not completely functioning and not fully meeting the requirements of end-users within the PWA. Progress is restricted by the limited personnel of the DBD and further delay in completion of the WIS seems inevitable but is at the same time unacceptable to the end users within the PWA.

The assignment focused on identification of the gaps in the WIS functionality and proposing remedial actions required to fill the gap and satisfying PWA requirements. The objective of the assignment was to ‘fast forward’ the moment when the required functionality will be available, preferably by the end of 2013. Also the system development process itself needed to be reviewed and suggestions for improvements provided.