Overcoming water supply risk data gaps with citizen science in Nepal

Data gaps hamper the assessment of household level water risks related to intermittent and poor quality water supplies. Without such an assessment, government agencies lack incentives to improve services and to be able to channel scarce human and financial resources effectively to reduce water-related risks. Mobile connectivity creates an opportunity for citizens to be directly involved in collecting data. However, there are concerns over validity and reliability of data collected through ‘citizen science.’ This project sought to demonstrate the value of citizen involvement in water quality data collection in Kathmandu, Nepal, where residents face severe risks in water quality and availability.