IoT-Enabled Water Monitoring in Smart Cities
With Retrofit and Solar-Based Energy Harvesting
Nawel S
S7EEE Roll No: 19
GEC WAYANAD
11 August 2025
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Overview
1 Introduction
2 Literature Survey
3 Problem Statement
4 Objectives
5 System Architecture
6 Hardware Components
7 Software Implementation
8 Retrofit Advantage
9 Solar-Based Energy
10 Working
11 Applications
12 Challenges
13 Future Scope
14 Conclusion
15 References
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Introduction
Importance of water monitoring in urban environments
Role of IoT in smart city infrastructure
Focus on retrofitting and solar-based solutions
Supports sustainable development goals
Helps in early detection of water contamination
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Literature Survey
Study 1: IoT-based water quality monitoring improves real-time data
acquisition and decision-making.
Study 2: Solar-powered IoT devices reduce operational costs and
enhance reliability in off-grid areas.
Study 3: Retrofit solutions minimize infrastructure overhaul, enabling
faster deployment.
Study 4: Cloud-based dashboards provide easy access to water
quality data for stakeholders.
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Problem Statement
Traditional systems lack automation and efficiency
Limited access to real-time water quality data
Power dependency is a challenge in remote areas
High maintenance cost for traditional systems
Delay in manual water quality assessments
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Objectives
Design an IoT-enabled water quality monitoring system
Use renewable solar energy for powering the system
Retrofit existing infrastructure to minimize cost
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System Architecture
Sensor nodes with water quality sensors (pH, turbidity, TDS)
Microcontroller (e.g., ESP32)
Solar energy unit with charge controller
Communication via Wi-Fi or LoRa
Local data logging using SD card for backup
Modular design allows easy sensor upgrades
Cloud-based analytics for trend monitoring
Backup power option for cloudy days
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System Block Diagram
block_diagram.jpg
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Hardware Components
pH Sensor, Turbidity Sensor, TDS Sensor
ESP32 Microcontroller
Solar Panel, Battery
NodeMCU for communication
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Software Stack
Arduino IDE for coding ESP32
Data uploading to ThingSpeak or Blynk
Real-time visualization of water quality parameters
Data analytics for pollution trend prediction
Mobile app integration for alerts and updates
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IoT Dashboard
dashboard_example.jpg
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Retrofit-Based Approach
Use of existing water infrastructure
Minimal modifications and cost-effective
Easy integration of IoT components
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Solar Energy Harvesting
Power from solar panel stored in rechargeable battery
Ensures uninterrupted monitoring
Green and sustainable power source
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Solar Circuit Diagram
solar_circuit.jpg
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Working of System
1 Sensors (pH, turbidity, TDS) are submerged in water sources.
2 Sensors collect real-time water quality data.
3 ESP32 reads and processes sensor values.
4 Data is transmitted via Wi-Fi/LoRa to a cloud platform.
5 Powered continuously using solar panels.
6 Remote monitoring via dashboard (Blynk/ThingSpeak).
7 Alerts generated if parameters exceed limits.
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Advantages
Real-time, remote water quality monitoring
Energy-efficient using solar power
Scalable and easy to maintain
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Applications
Smart cities and municipal water bodies
Industrial effluent monitoring
Rural and remote water quality analysis
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Challenges
Weather dependency for solar
Sensor calibration and maintenance
Data security in transmission
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Future Scope
Integration with AI for water pollution prediction
Expansion to irrigation monitoring
Battery optimization for night-time functioning
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Conclusion
Sustainable, smart water monitoring solution
Promotes renewable energy and IoT adoption
Enhances urban water management
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References
1 Research Paper: IoT-Enabled Water Monitoring in Smart Cities
2 Arduino.cc Documentation
3 ThingSpeak API Documentation
4 Solar Energy System Integration Manuals
5 Blynk IoT Platform Documentation
6 LoRa Communication Protocol Whitepaper
7 World Health Organization – Drinking Water Quality Guidelines
8 IEEE Xplore: Solar-Powered IoT Sensor Networks
9 Smart City Water Management Reports – Government of India
10 International Journal of Advanced Research in Electronics and
Communication
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