Stef Smits is a senior programme officer and Co-director of IRC's Growth Hub. He has 20 years of professional experience in water supply and sanitation in over 25 countries in Europe, Latin America, Southern Africa, and South Asia. His main thematic expertise includes: institutional models for water supply, sustainability and enabling environment, monitoring, costing and financing of services and integrated water resources management.
Stef has led numerous projects on these topics, and published about them. In addition, he has ample management expertise: from consultancy assignments to multi-annual programmes, and units within an organisation. He has worked for a range of clients including bilateral donors, development banks, research funders and NGOs. Stef holds an MSc degree in Irrigation and Water Engineering from Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
This tool provides guidance on a systematic approach to experimenting with innovative solutions to water problems. Read more...
An introduction to ten building blocks to support sustainable service delivery. Read more...
Triple-S Uganda conducted an analysis of the Water User Committees Service Delivery Model in eight selected districts with the aim of understanding... Read more...
Regulation is a key function for delivering sustainable water services, both in urban and rural environments. Read more...
Commissioner Eng Aaron Kabirizi discusses sub-county water boards as an approach for addressing operation and maintenance.
Read more...
Financing Post-Construction Support (direct support)", is a video documentary which explores various options and opportunities for post construction support for water and sanitation facilities in Ghana. It draws largely on efforts by two of IRC Ghana's programmes, the Triple-S and WASHCost projects in facilitating sector dialogue and innovations to addresses the situation.
This video was produced in collaboration with the Ghana Watsan Journalists Network.
Read more...Self supply is an approach that can improve the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of water services. Read more...
Territorial approaches to rural water supply were a hot topic at this week's Triple-S annual meeting. Read more...
Water for People has helped Sagar and Patharpratima boost coverage and improve sustainability. Read more...
A special issue of ' Water Alternatives' journal looks at trends in water services in rural areas. Read more...
Elder Joe is the proud secretary of a water committee managing a handpump on the outskirts of Odumase town in Ghana. But the committee would rather manage a different type of system. Read more...
The costs of getting spare parts for handpumps can sometimes be higher than the costs of the parts. But a new SMS-based system might help. Read more...
I cannot resist visiting the odd water works or taking photographs of the local water and sanitation facilities during my holidays. Read more...
This includes the structured support activities to service providers as well as to users or user groups. This may be provided in a variety of ways by either local governments directly, by regional utility agencies, specialized agencies or external contractors or a by combination of these modalities. Read more...
The professionalisation of community based-management means moving away from an approach based purely on volunteerism, towards a more professional, competent and effective management of rural water services working to agreed standards, and with greater transparency and accountability. Read more...
This working paper provides evidence on current practices around funding capital maintenance and the resulting impact on services. Read more...
Sagar is an island at the mouth of the river Ganges where it meets the Bay of Bengal. Every year in January, about half a million pilgrims visit the island to worship at the holy Ganges. The hundreds of mobile toilet units standing on the empty festival terrain during the rest of the year are... Read more...
Service delivery models describe the practical implementation of water service provision as part of a service delivery approach Read more...
Anyone who works in the water sector cannot have missed the consultations and debates on the post-2015 goals for water and sanitation. Read more...