Improving the management of water points in Ambatofotsy, Madagascar

Improving the management of water points

The Drinking Water Project – Ambatofotsy – Madagascar

Water, a vital need that is still out of reach

In many parts of the world, and particularly in Madagascar, drinking water remains a privilege and not a guaranteed right. The numbers speak for themselves: according to the WHO-UNICEF joint programme (2022), barely one in two people has reliable access to a safe water source in the country. There are glaring inequalities between urban and rural areas, between wealthy households and vulnerable families.

The consequences on health and well-being are dramatic. Waterborne diseases (diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid fever) are among the main causes of infant mortality. The children, often burdened with the task of fetching water, travel several kilometres every day, to the detriment of their education. Women devote long hours to this task, limiting their economic and social activities.

Infrastructures that are often ephemeral

For several years, many water point construction programs have been carried out in Madagascar, often with the support of technical and financial partners. But many of these facilities cease to operate a few years after they are commissioned. There are many causes:

• lack of means to ensure maintenance;
• lack of a sustainable financing model;
• management that is not very transparent or too centralized;
• non-involvement of users in the follow-up.

Drinking water is therefore not only an infrastructure issue, but above all a local governance issue. For a water point to function sustainably, its management must be clear, fair and the revenues must cover the costs of maintenance.

A game-changing approach

The TokenTap – here in a kiosk in Uganda/Le TokenTap – ici un kiosque en Ouganda

The project proposed by Practica is based on a simple observation: a technology is only valuable if it is understood, used and maintained locally. Rather than multiplying the number of new installations, this project aims to strengthen and sustain an existing network, while improving management thanks to adapted and accessible tools.

The TokenTap + Tap&Track model allows:

• reduce waste,
• ensure the traceability of recipes,
• to offer the network operator (2ADH) more reliable management,
• and users, fair and transparent billing.

It is a pragmatic, inclusive and replicable approach.

Proposed innovations

View of Ambatofotsy/Vue d’Ambatofotsy

Tokentap – A faucet that ensures fairness

The TokenTap is a mechanical prepayment system designed by Practica engineers to make access to water simple and fair. Each user buys a token (a small piece of plastic) from a local merchant. By inserting the token into the TokenTap, a fixed volume of drinking water (about 20 liters) is dispensed.

This system has several major advantages:

• it requires no electricity, no battery, and no internet connection;
• it is designed to be robust and easily repairable by local craftsmen;
• it guarantees transparent payment that is proportional to actual consumption;
• It allows low-income families to manage their budget by buying only the water they need.

The tokens are sold at a low price by small operators, often women from the neighborhood, who receive a margin on the volume sold (10 to 15%). Thus, the system creates a local economic chain : the revenues are used to pay the sellers, maintain the network and finance repairs.

Tap&Track – Transparency for sustainability

Tap&Track is a lightweight digital tool designed to support the day-to-day management of the network. A small sensor installed on each TokenTap records the volumes of water distributed and the revenues collected. The data is sent automatically, via an international SIM card, to a free online dashboard .

This tool allows the manager to track:

• water consumption by site;
• any breakdowns or interruptions;
• daily and monthly revenues;
• the planning of maintenance operations.

The system enhances financial transparency and facilitates communication between local authorities, operators and users. Access to real-time data is a powerful lever for building trust and improving the quality of service.

Why Madagascar?

Madagascar is one of the countries where the need for drinking water is the most pressing. With an average income of less than $2 a day, the majority of households cannot afford to finance individual connections.

Ambatofotsy, the capital of the commune of Tsiafaly located 21 km south of Antananarivo, is home to about 21,000 inhabitants. A mini-water network was recently built there by our partner GRET thanks to funding from Charity Water. This network currently serves just over 3,000 people, via private and institutional connections (health centres, schools).

But a significant portion of the population — about 1,100 people — remains unserved. These inhabitants still depend on uncertain sources or open-pit wells.

The installation of public water kiosks or existing grocery stores equipped with TokenTaps will expand service coverage to these families, while making network management more stable and equitable.

Ambatofotsy’s location is strategic: close to the capital, accessible by road, and already equipped with a motivated local operator (2ADH).

The project will thus serve as a living laboratory to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model before possible large-scale replication.

Project description

The ‘Water for All in Ambatofotsy’ project aims to demonstrate how simple technical tools, strengthened local management and tailor-made support can guarantee a sustainable drinking water service for all.

The action includes:

1. the construction of 5 public water kiosks connected to the existing network,
2. the installation of the TokenTap and Tap&Track devices,
3. training of local technicians and managers,
4. the technical and social monitoring of the service,
5. and dissemination of results to prepare for scale-up.

The project relies on complementary actors:

• Practica (Netherlands and Madagascar): technical design, installation, training, follow-up;
• GRET Madagascar : local coordination, relationship with the municipality, supervision of works;
• 2ADH : Malagasy private operator, network manager and direct beneficiary of the project.

The final objective is to build a sustainable local model, where each actor – from the user to the manager – plays his or her role in the service chain.

AFAS’s role as a catalyst for innovation

The purpose of this project is to provide a necessary good to the population: drinking water, and this corresponds to the ideals of AFAS Foundation (AFAS Foundation – Inspireert beter doen).

In addition, AFAS Foundation supports projects that are initiated by organizations in the Netherlands: Practica is a Dutch organization that has been working for 25 years in Africa and Asia.