Ruwa-Tsabta - IoT Smart Water Availability and Clean Water System for Vulnerable Women and Girls in Crisis-Affected Communities in Katsina State, Nigeria
Year: 2026
Type: study-registration
Abstract: Katsina State is geographically located in northwest-Nigeria. The state is currently challenged by insecurity/banditry, and women abduction. Data record show that over 2-million IDPs (majority women/girls/children) are vulnerable to insecurity/climate-change-impact. This caused serious water quality crises across Batsari, Faskari, Jibia, and Kankara LGAs. Our baseline-survey among 200-women (pilot for this award), shows that women walk 2-5km daily, spending 4.2-hours fetching water, facing harassment/forced-taxation by the bandits. Many girls miss schools attendance (5 days/week) because of fetching water from far-distance. The water used by the communities, is also not clean/lack hygiene, causing serious health challenges such as cholera (1,423 cases), and death (57 cases). These cases are rising due to contaminated water fetched, and lack of real-time monitoring technology. Many boreholes are worthless due to high cost of diesel. Besides, women are facing serious sexual-gender-violence due to existing water systems managed by male only. This is a humanitarian WASH crisis requiring renewable, crisis-resilient, women-managed solution in Katsina State. Ruwa-Tsabta in Hausa means ‘Clean Water’ (100% low-cost, solar-powered IoT-system). The technology focuses on assimilating monitoring available clean water, quality treatment, and women-led digital management (Image-attached). The system, specifically designed for crisis-affected, off-grid IDP-camps, host-communities in Katsina (Batsari, Faskari, Jibia, Kankara LGAs). The key components/functions are five, namely - Power System (comprised of 300W-polycrystalline solar-panel, MPPT-controller, 100Ah lithium-battery), Smart Treatment, Connectivity and Alert, Distribution, and Innovation beyond conventional systems. Ruwa Tsabta employed the use of five different stages, which have impact on measurable, qualitative, availability, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, and 16), and scalability across the sub-Saharan Africa. Pilot survey data for 200 vulnerable women from Batsari (n = 65), Faskari (n = 65), and Jibiya (n = 70) LGAs, indicate that there was a severe gendered water insecurity in the State - with mean water collection time 4.86hrs/day (SD 1.3) with Faskari LGA significantly higher at 5.18hrs/day, 22% of women/girls spending 7hrs/day (p = 0.001 compared to Jibya case). Water quantity mean 34 L/day/household, 87% below WHO minimum 50L with Faskari LGA lowest at 31L. Local wells (uncovered) 47% and ponds 22% (major sources of water). Health burdens covered self-reported diarrhea 65%, menstrual hygiene crisis 78% with Faskari LGA highest at 85%, Girl miss school because of water fetched 71%. Critically, this finding noted that 27% reported GBV at water point, 44% unsafe fetching (Fskari 40% GBV and 54% feel unsafe fetching: p<0.01). Women indicated their willingness to participate in IoT-based water monitoring (88.3%) which shows high acceptance of Ruwa Tsabta technology. Ruwa-Tsabta is an advanced water-system specifically for vulnerable women in IDP-camps/centers and can be used in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. The technology is gender-based justice and can offer many solutions where women are affected. It is water system that can be used to restore women’s dignity, safety/nutritional status, health and education. The project was designed and conveyed by Dr. Suleiman Usman in collaboration with Amina Muhammad Center for Climate Change NSUK, and Agribusiness Incubation Center, Federal University Dutse Nigeria.
Source: Open Science Framework
Author: Suleiman Usman
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7219639232