Water Services That Last
Life-Cycle Costs Approach
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Making Optimal Use of Knowledge and Information

The information highway has greatly enhanced information exchange in the sector, and the number of people and organizations with access to the World Wide Web grows daily. As was reported at the fourth Global Forum of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council in Manila in November, 70-80% of participants were using e-mail, and about 30% used the Internet.

These developments will have a lasting impact on the sector, with virtual libraries becoming accessible to many users, the increasing popularity of electronic meetings, and the resulting reduction in the need for travel. Already electronic information exchange has facilitated the cooperation between IRC and its partners in many ways, from simple communications to the interactive development of new publications.

While the positive aspects of electronic information are many, there is also the danger of information overload. IRC has defined a clear role for itself in avoiding this overload, by pre-screening information and making it accessible for potential users. The Documentation Unit has developed an intranet home page which explains library services and provides links to the water-related sites on the Internet including a virtual reading room on sector journals and newsletters. The Unit also developed intranet pages for IRC courses and workshops on hygiene, water resources management and gender. In 1998 part of this information will be uploaded to IRC's Web page at http://www.oneworld.org/ircwater. Later in 1998, the Unit's bibliographic database, IRCDOC, will be made accessible via the Internet.

In 1997 IRC's internet site was accessed from:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Former USSR, France, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Yemen, and Zambia

 

During its first full year of operation, the IRC Website recorded some 42,000 'hits' - an average of 3,500 per month. Visitors to the site came from more than 60 countries, more than half of which were developing countries. Towards the end of the year, work began on redesigning the site to make it more user-friendly and increase the links with other sites.

Electronic information exchange is only one of the means IRC uses to improve the collection and dissemination of information and the exchange of know ledge. Its training programme, publications and documentation unit also continue to serve the sector effectively.

Some 1200 new documents were acquired by the library. The Documentation Unit responded to nearly 300 requests for information from visitors and external users. While the number of library visitors not connected to IRC briefing programmes decreased, the number of requests answered by e-mail grew substantially compared to previous years.

The last issue of Highlights, the IRC current awareness bulletin, was produced in December 1997. In 1998 it will be replaced by a new news service which will be available by e-mail and on IRC's home page on the World Wide Web. Not everyone has access to electronic information services, however, and for that reason, the information provided on IRC's home page will also continue to be offered in hard copy to those without electronic access.

This is already the case with the Water Newsletter, which was made available via an e-mail list server early in the year. As a result of enhanced collaboration with the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, 1998 will bring a different, bi-monthly newsletter, bundling the key contents from the new news service, articles on pertinent sector issues, and news from the Collaborative Council, for all those not able to receive this information electronically.