Stef Smits is a senior programme officer and Co-director of IRC's Growth Hub. He has 20 years of professional experience in water supply and sanitation in over 25 countries in Europe, Latin America, Southern Africa, and South Asia. His main thematic expertise includes: institutional models for water supply, sustainability and enabling environment, monitoring, costing and financing of services and integrated water resources management.
Stef has led numerous projects on these topics, and published about them. In addition, he has ample management expertise: from consultancy assignments to multi-annual programmes, and units within an organisation. He has worked for a range of clients including bilateral donors, development banks, research funders and NGOs. Stef holds an MSc degree in Irrigation and Water Engineering from Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
In Ethiopia, prioritising access to groundwater, supported by responsive and proactive operation and maintenance, increases rural water supply... Read more...
Neither rural sustainability checks, nor urban benchmarking frameworks, are entirely suitable for monitoring small town water services. Read more...
Water-related emotional distress is predominantly associated with the 'cost of water' and the 'size of household'. Read more...
Top-down efforts are ineffective for connecting low-income urban populations to centralised water, sanitation or electricity services. Bottom up,... Read more...
Sustainable groundwater use is more likely in Indian villages if farmers, other village community members and NGOs work together with researchers and... Read more...
A study on whether water sources classified as "improved" are indeed safe triggered debate on the level of effort that needs to go into water quality monitoring and into measures to improve water quality Read more...
Self supply is an approach that can improve the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of water services. Read more...
Alternative service provider options refer to models such as self-supply and public-private partnerships, that are a departure from the conventional model of community-based management that has tended to dominate rural water supplies. Read more...
This report on Self-supply aims to help fill some of the gaps in our knowledge about the existing performance of traditional wells, especially water... Read more...
How can the safety of drinking-water be monitored globally? What definitions would be meaningful and assist decision-makers in the process of... Read more...
How can the safety of drinking-water be monitored globally? What definitions would be meaningful and assist decision-makers in the process of... Read more...