The WASH disaster network website and toolbox

We need to get better at incorporating disaster risk in what we do

IWA is developing an online toolbox for tools and case studies. It will also be a site for facilitating the technical assistance IWA can offer both in terms of 'hard' technical advice and 'soft' knowledge about socio-cultural systems. It will be a meeting place for the emergency, water and sanitation, and conservation community. It will also be a site for providing an overview of what we know and what we dont know, where working groups for new tools or knowledge needs are encouraged.

Often disaster risk considerations are not properly included in development and vice versa. The WASH disaster network website and toolbox is intended to close the gap between the water and sanitation professionals and the emergency community. The aim will be to build more disaster resilient urban areas and their linked systems, including the river basin. The water disaster network website is under construction with a likely launch in September 2010 and will serve several functions:

• Toolbox - The WASH disaster network toolbox will be a web-based platform to browse and search for tools (best practice manuals, guidelines etc) and case studies (in a specific time and place). The Toolbox will enable users with the correct access levels to upload tools and case studies for review by an editorial team and to be subsequently published to the site.
• Knowledge creation – The website will present ‘knowledge available’ and what was the process behind the creation of this knowledge. The ‘knowledge needs’ pages will outline what tools and case studies are needed and why. Working groups can be established which work across organizational borders to develop specific tools.
• Technical assistance - The website will also allow for submissions of requests for technical assistance. IWA will broker the request for technical assistance with the appropriate expertise, either in the form of virtual support, or more in depth capacity building activities as requested. The outcomes of this technical support will also be uploaded to the toolbox.
• Reference point – the website will list other knowledge in the form of books, and a list of events, glossary and news relevant to the network.