UDSM researchers tasked with innovating prepaid water payment solutions
Prepaid water metres are touted as the best solution to improving collection of water bills in the country
What you need to know:
- President Samia Suluhu Hassan had mandated the transition to prepaid metres to resolve issues in water service provision
Dar es Salaam. The ministry of Water has called upon researchers and innovators at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) to develop efficient solutions for the implementation of a robust digital pre-payment system for water bills.
The government’s acceleration of the Smart Prepaid Water Metre, was highlighted by Deputy Minister for Water, Mr Kundo Mathew, during the opening of UDSM’s 9th Research and Innovation Week, held from June 5 to 8, 2024.
Dawasco metre readers go around checking water usage. Prepaid water metres will reduce the need for physically visiting water users to document water bills
The theme of the exhibition, "Fostering Research and Innovation through University-Industry Partnerships," stresses the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling national challenges.
He noted that an initial report from the ministry has already been submitted, along with presentations from global prepaid metre manufacturers aiming to serve Tanzania.
The ministry’s research team, working on a 14-day deadline, he noted, was expected to produce a comprehensive report to standardise implementation across service providers.
“Before we roll out nationwide, we have realised that we need research to inform us on which strong systems to use in this important strategy to reduce water loss and complaints from users,” he stated.
Mr Mathew acknowledged the challenges faced by the ministry in delivering water services and the importance of research in overcoming these obstacles.
“This research will inform decisions to obtain the best technology and contractor who can eliminate all the challenges that have been arising in other areas that we have been piloting,” he added.
In his remarks, Mr Mathew informed the audience that President Samia Suluhu Hassan had mandated the transition to prepaid metres to resolve issues in water service provision.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the role of academic research in ensuring the success of the initiative.
“The results of your innovative research will enable all government institutions providing water services to have a unified system that will facilitate technological collaboration and problem-solving,” he said.
UDSM’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof William Anangisye, reiterated the university’s commitment to addressing societal challenges through research and innovation.
He highlighted UDSM’s financial investment in these areas, noting that Sh3 billion was allocated in the 2022/2023 financial year for research and innovation projects.
“A total of 92 projects were awarded, of which 88 are research projects and four are innovation projects,” Prof Anangisye reported.
The annual Research and Innovation Week, initiated by UDSM in 2015, serves as a platform to showcase research outcomes to the broader community.
Prof Anangisye expressed confidence that research conducted at universities would significantly contribute to improving the economic and social conditions of Tanzanians.
They underlined the need to leverage research and innovation to ensure the effective implementation of the Smart Prepaid Water Metre system nationwide.
