Smart water tank system using WIFI-based microcontroller unit

The water system infrastructure in the Philippines can be classified into: Stand-alone water points, piped water with a communal water point, and piped water supply with a private water point. At certain times of the year, households face the dilemma of an overflowing tank when the water pressure from the local water district is high. Conversely, the water tank goes empty during the dry season when the water supply from the local service provider is low. It is during the dry season that households stay up late at night or until early morning to watch and/or fill their water reservoir.  When the water pump is turned on and left unattended, water overflows. Filling in the water tank manually results in water waste. Thus, there is a need for a solution to automate the turning off of the water tank when the full level is reached. This study presents a design and a prototype of a WiFi-based device called Smart Water Tank System (SWaTS). This system includes a hardware interface module. Its functional features are programmed using the Arduino IDE which provides a library of functions supporting a wide array of sensors and actuators.  The functional test on SWaTS proved that it can provide a solution by real time water level monitoring. The water pump will automatically start when the water hits a critical low level and will automatically turn off when it reaches a near full level. With this, the tank will neither be empty nor overflow.