The filter bar at the top of the ‘water supply technologies’ section allows reducing complexity and pre-selecting only those technologies that are suitable for a specific scenario or context. Based on concrete site settings the number of potentially suitable technologies can be considerably reduced to a more digestible size and makes technology selection easier. By clicking on the respective boxes under each of the filters only those technologies will be shown that correspond to the respective boxes. The currently active filters are always shown directly under the filter bar. The active filters can be cleared/deactivated by clicking on the ‘reset filter’ button or by deactivating individual boxes of currently active filters. The categorisation of technologies used in each of the filters should not be seen as fixed and incontrovertible and may vary under certain local site conditions. The categorisation is rather meant to support rapid informed decision making and is a complement to, not a substitute for, sound professional judgement. The available filter options include the following:
Response Phase
Indication on appropriateness of water supply technologies according to the three different emergency phases:
- Acute Response: immediately following an emergency
- Stabilisation: transition phase starting after the first weeks of an emergency lasting several months or longer
- Recovery: longer-term approach usually starting after immediate relief interventions aiming to recreate or improve on pre-emergency situation
The allocation of technologies to different emergency phases is mainly based on applicability, speed of implementation and material requirements. It allows giving a first general orientation but may differ in a specific local situation.
Application Level
Indication on the different spatial levels and scale for which the technology is most appropriate. It is subdivided into the following levels:
- Household: one unit serving one up to several individual households
- Neighbourhood: one unit serving a few to several hundred households
- City: one unit serving an entire settlement, camp or district
It allows giving a first general orientation but may differ in a specific local situation.
Management Level
Indication where the main responsibility for operation and maintenance (O&M) for a specific technology lies:
- Household: O&M tasks can be managed by the individual household
- Shared: group of users are responsible for O&M by ensuring that a person or a committee is in charge on behalf of all users
- Public: government, institutional or privately run facilities: all O&M tasks are assumed by the entity operating the facility
It allows giving a first general orientation but may differ in a specific local situation.
Local Availability (of Technology and Components)
Indication to what extent a technology and its components/materials are likely to be accessed locally and whether they need to be brought in from outside.
- Low local availability means that most or all technology components must be sourced from outside and are likely not to be available in-country
- Medium local availability means that some materials or components can be obtained easily, though some components maybe more challenging
- High local availability means that the technology or its components can be easily obtained in-country
Technical Complexity
Indication of the technical complexity of each technology, meaning the level of technical expertise needed to implement, operate and maintain the given technology. This can help planning in cases where skills and capacities are limited or temporarily unavailable.
- Low technical complexity means that only minimal technical skills and simple tools are required to implement, operate and maintain or repair a technology, which can be done by non-professionals and artisans
- Medium technical complexity means that certain skills and tools are required for either implementation, O & M or repair. Here, skilled artisans or engineers are required for the design and O & M.
- High technical complexity means that an experienced expert, such as a trained engineer, is required to implement, operate and maintain the technology in a sustainable manner
The categorisation is based on a comparative approach between the different technologies and is not to be considered in absolute terms.
Maturity Level
Indication whether or not a technology has been proven and tested in different response phases and if the technology has been established for a sufficient time for the required experience in set up, use and O & M.
- High level of maturity
- Medium level of maturity
- Low level of maturity
