Strengthening Haiti’s national WASH information system: A five-year roadmap for SIEPA

Access to safe drinking water, hygiene, and sanitation remains a major challenge in Haiti. To improve coordination and decision-making in the sector, the Direction Nationale de l’Eau Potable et de l’Assainissement (DINEPA), through its national observatory ONEPA, created the Système intégré d’Informations sur l’Eau Potable et l’Assainissement (SIEPA)—a national platform to centralise and manage data related to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services and infrastructure.

With support from the World Bank, DINEPA partnered with Akvo to develop a five-year operating protocol for SIEPA, aimed at improving data collection, management, and strategic use across institutions.

Above: Haitian woman fetches water from a World Bank funded water stand pipe in Roche-à-Bateau.


Partners

World Bank

DINEPA


Locations

Haiti


Sector

WASH


Services

Data consultancy services:

Data architecture

Data strategy

Data analysis

The challenge

Although SIEPA has been in place for several years and is showing promising results, it continues to face significant challenges. Data collection remains fragmented, relevance and quality vary, and institutional roles are often unclear. Without a clear framework for coordination and performance monitoring, the platform risks underutilisation and reduced impact.

To overcome these barriers, DINEPA needed a practical and forward-looking strategy to strengthen SIEPA’s operations and ensure its long-term relevance and sustainability.

The solution

Akvo worked closely with DINEPA to develop a structured, inclusive, and evidence-based roadmap for SIEPA’s evolution over the next five years. The process included:

  • Scoping and alignment: An initial workshop helped harmonise expectations, validate the methodology, and define a shared timeline.
  • Desk research: A review of public and internal documents provided context on the WASH landscape in Haiti and the current operation of SIEPA.
  • Stakeholder interviews: Key staff across DINEPA and regional OREPAs were interviewed using structured guides, with AI tools supporting the transcription and analysis of findings.
  • Data flow mapping: A visual representation of the data flow helped identify bottlenecks and gaps in coordination.
    Database assessment: SIEPA’s data was analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively via the mWater platform, offering a clear picture of strengths and areas for improvement.
  • Co-creation workshop: Stakeholders co-developed solutions through a SWOT analysis and participatory data flow optimisation exercises.
  • Five-year roadmap: A strategic document was produced, outlining performance indicators, risk mitigation strategies, and a provisional budget to guide SIEPA’s development.
Above: Ideal data flow configuration for SIEPA

The impact

The project delivered a clear, actionable operating protocol and results matrix for SIEPA, equipping DINEPA with the tools and strategic direction needed to strengthen Haiti’s national WASH information system. With defined objectives, performance indicators, and stakeholder engagement strategies in place, SIEPA is better positioned to provide reliable, accessible, and coordinated WASH data for national planning and policy-making.

By improving the quality and use of WASH data, this work lays a foundation for more efficient services, better resource allocation, and ultimately, stronger progress toward universal access to clean water and sanitation in Haiti.