Expanding CityTaps’ Impact

Executive Summary

As the driver of innovation at CityTaps, I led the development of an IoT-based solution that transformed how African utilities manage water losses, creating a new revenue stream while delivering measurable impact. Key achievements include:

• Reduced water losses from 70% to 40% in pilot areas through predictive analytics

• Generated €100k annual revenue per site with 4-year ROI

• Secured expansion funding and attracted interest from 20+ utilities

• Built partnerships with international water experts to automate complex calculations

• Created a replicable model approved by the Tanzanian Ministry of Water

The project showcases my ability to identify market opportunities, develop data-driven solutions, and drive adoption in challenging environments.

Introduction

In 2021, CityTaps faced a pivotal challenge: while its cash collection solution was innovative, scaling it fast enough to ensure growth was a challenge. We identified Non-Revenue Water (NRW) as a strategic opportunity to expand our impact. The scale of the problem was massive - utilities in Africa lose up to 50% of water supply due to leaks, theft, and inefficiencies, representing billions in annual losses. The potential impact was equally significant - reducing NRW by just 10% in Kenya alone could provide clean water to 2 million additional people. This combination of business opportunity and social impact made NRW the perfect focus for our next innovation.

Objective

The project aimed to:

• Open New Revenue Streams: Address NRW challenges faced by utilities globally.

• Build a Market Entry Point: Introduce CityTaps’ cash collection solution through an integrated product suite.

• Align with Donor Funding: Leverage international support for pilot funding and scaling.

Conclusion

The CityTaps NRW project demonstrates my ability to deliver impactful digital solutions in challenging environments. By combining user-centric design, technical expertise, and strategic collaboration, I reduced water losses, improved utility operations, and positioned CityTaps for scalable growth. This project highlights my capacity to lead digital initiatives that solve complex problems, drive adoption, and create measurable business impact.

Target Audience

CityTaps targeted:

• Water Utilities: Struggling with inefficiencies and limited resources to monitor and address NRW.

• Underserved Communities: Benefiting indirectly from improved utility performance and water availability.

Process: Comprehensive Leadership from Concept to Pilot

The development of the IoT solution followed a structured, user-centric process:

1. Customer Discovery

   • Conducted field research in Kenya, meeting with utilities to understand pain points.

   • Identified a preference for actionable insights and simplicity over complex feature sets.

   • Shared design mock-ups to gather feedback and refine the platform design.

2. Collaboration with NRW Experts

   • Partnered with an International Water Association expert to develop methodologies for automated NRW calculations.

   • Translated manual processes into algorithms, enabling real-time monitoring and reporting.

3. Platform Development and Data Analytics

   • Designed an intuitive platform with three core features:

     • Network Overview: A SCADA-style schematic displaying all alerts.

     • Live Monitoring: Real-time flow and pressure data visualization.

     • Analysis Dashboard: Automated NRW tracking and reporting.

   • Collaborated with the data engineer to investigate advanced predictive modeling opportunities for water infrastructure maintenance, working through complex data challenges:

     • Partnered closely with data and software team to analyze dataset limitations

     • Assisted in identifying critical data collection and quality constraints

     • Supported systematic evaluation of predictive modeling feasibility

     • Gained hands-on experience with the complexities of transforming raw data into actionable insights

   • Developed real-time data modeling techniques to mitigate the impact of communication disruptions from IoT sensors, ensuring uninterrupted insights for utilities. These models filtered inaccurate readings, extrapolated missing data, and maintained data reliability in challenging field conditions.

4. Implementation Strategy

   • Launched a pilot with a small utility in Tanzania, funded by an international donor, while refining the platform based on real-time feedback.

Key Challenges and Solutions

Data Reliability & Analytics

• Challenge: Unreliable sensor data threatened platform credibility

• Solution: Developed targeted filtering algorithms and collaborated with data engineers to create a robust validation mechanism

• Result: Successfully reduced NRW from 70% to 40%, saving 236,000 m³ of water annually worth 100k€

Stakeholder Adoption & Scale

• Challenge: Cultural resistance from utility staff and limited face-to-face interaction opportunities

• Solution: Built trust through demonstrations and iterative feedback loops with sales team

• Result: Secured approval from Tanzanian Ministry of Water and attracted interest from 20+ utilities

Impact & Success Factors

User-Centric Innovation

• Focused on utilities' unique constraints, resulting in rapid adoption

• Created a replicable model that secured funding for expansion to Kenya

• Enabled real-time monitoring and intervention validation, transforming manual processes into automated insights

Strategic Growth

• Positioned CityTaps as a regional leader in water management

• Created new revenue streams through an integrated product suite

• Established demonstration site attracting interest from over 20 utilities

• Projected ROI of approximately 4 years based on pilot results