TAPP-BDP: a participatory tool towards end-user inclusive implementation of safe water supply within the Bangladesh Delta Plan

The project aims to accelerate the development of the smart phone application ‘TAPP’ to TAPP-BDP to contribute towards the interest of the Bangladesh Delta Plan (BDP) in clean drinking water through improved services. TAPP is a spin-off product of the UDW-DELTAP project, and flagged by the international reviewers and steering committee during the mid-term review as a high potential outcome of this ongoing project. TAPP has been developed to improve operation and maintenance of water supply systems in Bangladesh. TAPPs desired functionalities have been investigated and include water quality monitoring, service delivery, payment, interaction, and an educational package on water quality, preventive measures and health consequences. This project will focus on the TAPP-BDP’s development and promotion based on implementation with three local organizations in four of the six BDP hotspot areas: coastal (Khulna in Ganges river basin), barind / drought-prone (Kurigram in Brahmaputra river basin), river systems and estuaries (Chandpur in Meghna river basin) and urban areas (Chandpur, Kurigram). Chandpur and Khulna areas have arsenic contamination problems also. TAPP-BDP will contribute to BDP’s drinking water goals through a demand-based bottom-up approach. The TAPP-BDP project, in collaboration with DELTAP, will adopt the following five work packages (WPs): WP1-Stakeholder investigation for further app development and self-sustaining business-model WP2-Inclusive TAPP-BDP development in short sprints into a mature app WP3-Local embedding and promotion of TAPP-BDP through implementation trials (proof-of-concept) WP4-Integration of findings in an end-user participation framework for water projects WP5-Knowledge transfer, educational modules and policy influencing This project will deliver a smart, open-access app, which will aid communities, local governments, community-based-organizations, non-governmental-organizations, and private water suppliers in end-user inclusive monitoring, operation, and maintenance of improved water service solutions. It will enhance the sustainability of improved water supply services among poor-marginalized groups in BDP hot-spot and problematic areas.