Mapping · Monitoring · Managing
25+ years of applied expertise in water systems, hydrogeology, and WASH — from field surveys to national MIS platforms, from borehole supervision to climate strategy.
What we do
Applied expertise across the full water and WASH spectrum — from borehole to boardroom, from field survey to national data platform.
Strategic and technical support for climate-proofing water and sanitation services. From national strategies and finance frameworks to MOOC course development and multi-country watershed management — grounded in 25 years of field and policy experience.
Design and implementation of Management Information Systems for national governments and NGOs. Expert in PowerBI, QGIS, and mWater — delivering dashboards, impact reporting, and data-driven decision support at scale.
Virtual and in-person training, 1-on-1 mentoring, and call-down support in WASH, data management, and hydrogeology. Developer of WASH Academy online courses with 500+ certificates annually.
MSc-level hydrogeological expertise across Africa and South Asia. Borehole siting, drilling supervision, pumping test analysis, groundwater modelling, and aquifer mapping. 250+ borehole surveys across 12+ countries.
About
Senior WASH Specialist · MSc Hydrogeology, Free University Amsterdam
mapAguas is the independent practice of Arjen Naafs, a Dutch hydrogeologist and WASH specialist with 25+ years of experience working across Africa, South Asia, and beyond. After building and leading a successful consultancy in Mozambique and serving as Climate Lead and Head of M&E at IRC WASH, Arjen launched mapAguas full-time in 2026.
The practice combines deep technical groundwater expertise with strategic programme management, data intelligence, and a long track record in knowledge translation — turning field evidence into tools, guidance, and actionable insight for governments, NGOs, and international partners.
He is proud to be an Associate Consultant to IRC WASH and a supporting specialist to WE Consult Mozambique
Core expertise
Languages
Track record
Worked with leading international organisations, UN agencies, and national governments across three decades.
Selected work
A selection of platforms and tools developed for water data and WASH monitoring. Hover a card and click to expand.
Multi-year hydrogeological Management Information System for Water Board Ara-Sul. Integrating borehole data, water quality, and asset management into a national platform.
Learn moreMulti-country impact-driven monitoring system for the UNICEF-LIXIL partnership across East Africa — tracking WASH access, usage, and sustainability indicators.
Learn moreMulti-partner water security project spanning Nepal, India, and Bangladesh — seven partners under TAF/DFID funding, with groundwater, equity, and climate resilience focus.
Learn moreGet in touch
Available for consultancy, training, MIS design, and technical advisory — remote or field-based, across any geography.