Regulating water supply and sanitation services (Thematic Overview Paper)

Digbijoy Dey believes climate resilience and environmental responsibility must be embedded in every public service we design and deliver. For him, sustainable development is not only about expanding access – it is about enabling institutions, infrastructure and communities to thrive within environmental limits and respond to a changing climate. He works with governments, utilities and development partners to build practical, resilient and environmentally responsible service systems.

Digbijoy has more than 14 years of experience in climate-resilient water and sanitation systems, wastewater and environmental management across Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Uganda, the Netherlands and Togo. Before joining Riva, he held technical and management roles within BRAC’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme, leading sanitation and wastewater initiatives at national scale. His expertise includes systems strengthening, climate adaptation, utility monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability assessment of projects and services.

He has advised programmes funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, Water.org, UNOPS-WSSCC, Simavi and SNV. His work has contributed to citywide inclusive sanitation planning in Ethiopia and national faecal sludge management research and strategy development in Bangladesh.

Digbijoy is a published researcher and regular speaker at international forums including Stockholm World Water Week, Faecal Sludge Management conferences, Singapore International Water Week and All Systems Connect. He holds MSc degrees from the University of Twente and the University of Dhaka, and works fluently in Bengali and English, with working proficiency in French.

Some highlights

• Led technical design of BRAC’s climate-resilient WASH programme in Bangladesh, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, covering 45 disaster-prone sub-districts 
• Evaluated the global Water.org systems change programme across Bangladesh, India and Indonesia, with focus on sustainability and systems strengthening 
• Supported development of solid waste management master plans in four Ethiopian towns under UNICEF-supported citywide inclusive sanitation initiatives 
• Managed sanitation and wastewater operations within BRAC’s national WASH programme, including oversight of large-scale rural and small-town services 
• Supervised nationwide faecal sludge characterisation and quantification studies in Bangladesh to inform sector planning and investment 
• Supported advocacy, monitoring and sustainability checks under WASH SDG and WASH Alliance International programmes in Bangladesh, Nepal and Uganda 
• Published peer-reviewed research on sanitation systems, waste management and environmental health, and presented at major global sector platforms

A researcher at heart, Marieke loves working with local and national governments, non-governmental organisations, private sector and academic institutions on identifying and addressing challenges related to the provision of public services, especially water supply and sanitation. The practical application and use of research findings, information and data is central to Marieke’s work. She has supported local governments and their partners in Ghana, Ethiopia and Rwanda, in using data to develop and implement robust master plans. Based on these experiences, and those of others, she developed a comprehensive resources base on district WASH master planning, including a Systems Academy course, which has been accessed and applied by various stakeholders. Districts and municipalities in Ghana, Ethiopia, and beyond now have and implement such plans, to ensure water and sanitation for all.

Over the years, she has played an active role in informing, facilitating and stimulating sector debate both at national and global levels. This has included the establishment of Ghana’s National Level Leaning Alliance Platform, and facilitation of the Thematic Group on Sustainable Services of the rural Water Supply Network (RWSN). In addition, she has co-authored several papers bringing together global experiences, lessons and insights on issues like small town water supply, utilitisation of rural water supply, and regulation of water and sanitation services. She has also been instrumental in developing and applying monitoring and evaluation frameworks for systems-strengthening projects and programmes, as well as strengthening sectoral monitoring systems. 

Her PhD, completed at Erasmus University Rotterdam in 2026, examined the political, cultural, and institutional factors that determine whether monitoring data shape decisions and accountability. This combination of academic and practical insights sets Marieke apart and enables her to contribute to systems strengthening, transition and change processes that ensure the provision of sustainable public services for all. 

 Some highlights

• Years and geography: Over 23 years of experience in a great variety of countries, including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Peru, Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe.
• Types of clients/partners: The Blue Deal Office, FCDO, USAID, UNICEF, DGIS, CNHF, Osprey Foundation, BMGF, VEI  
• Flagship assignments: Managed the 1 million USD monitoring and learning part of the ONEWASH Plus project in 8 small towns in Ethiopia (2014-2020). Developed and manages a facility which provides (local) governments and its partners with access to case examples, tools, and resources for developing and implementing district master plans (2020-ongoing). Led strategic monitoring of FCDO’s WASH Systems for Health Project in six countries (2024-2026).  
• Global/institutional roles: Has (co-)authored many peer-reviewed publications, including on monitoring and data use, ‘utilitisation’ of rural water supply, and regulation. Published her PhD dissertation on the use of monitoring data in early 2026. 
• Languages:  Dutch (mother tongue), English (fluent), French (intermediate), Spanish (basic)