It has been a fast-moving start to 2025.

At the 22nd African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) International Congress & Exhibition, in Kampala, Uganda, Dev-Afrique Development Advisors was proud to launch WSH Data Labs—a program that builds on the achievements of the Gates Foundation-funded WSH Public Data Systems Project by expanding and sustaining its efforts in sanitation data system strengthening for performance management, service delivery, and infrastructure planning. Alongside this, WSH Data Labs also introduced key sector outputs, including the Data Systems for Non-Sewered Sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Status, Challenges, and Recommendations Report and the Sanitation Data Systems Tools Mapping Dashboard, both developed to help utilities, municipalities, and regulators integrate structured data into sanitation governance and service optimization.

Now, the work of WSH Data Labs continues. Following these milestones, we shift focus to how municipalities are applying these principles—structured data governance, evidence-based decision-making, and scalable digital sanitation solutions—to improve sanitation service delivery. This session spotlights the Integrated Municipal Information System (IMIS), a GIS-integrated sanitation data platform developed in Bangladesh to enhance municipal sanitation planning, faecal sludge management, and inter-agency coordination.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻:
✔ How IMIS centralizes sanitation data, enabling better service planning and coordination.
✔ How Bangladesh’s approach to sanitation data governance has informed policy and practice.
✔ What lessons can be drawn for other municipalities looking to optimize non-sewered sanitation systems.

Why This Matters Now
The sector has seen reports, frameworks, and policy discussions, but implementation is what drives real impact. IMIS provides a working example of how structured sanitation data systems can be leveraged beyond data collection—actively informing decision-making, improving service efficiency, and strengthening regulatory oversight.

This session is organized in partnership with the Global Water & Sanitation Center (GWSC), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, Innovative Solution Pvt Ltd, the Eastern and Southern Africa Water and Sanitation (ESAWAS) Regulators Association, and the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA).