HydroSense: A Dual-Microcontroller IoT Framework for Real-Time Multi-Parameter Water Quality Monitoring with Edge Processing and Cloud Analytics

Abstract

The global water crisis necessitates affordable, accurate, and real-time water quality monitoring solutions. Traditional approaches relying on manual sampling or expensive commercial systems fail to address accessibility challenges in resource-constrained environments. This paper presents HydroSense, an innovative Internet of Things framework that integrates six critical water quality parameters including pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), estimated nitrogen, and water level into a unified monitoring system. HydroSense employs a novel dual-microcontroller architecture, utilizing Arduino Uno for precision analog measurements with five-point calibration algorithms and ESP32 for wireless connectivity, edge processing, and cloud integration. The system implements advanced signal processing techniques including median filtering for TDS measurement, temperature compensation algorithms, and robust error handling. Experimental validation over 90 days demonstrates exceptional performance metrics: pH accuracy of plus or minus 0.08 units across the 0 to 14 range, DO measurement stability within plus or minus 0.2 mg/L, TDS accuracy of plus or minus 1.9 percent across 0 to 1000 ppm, and 99.8 percent cloud data transmission reliability. With a total implementation cost of 32,983 BDT (approximately 300 USD), HydroSense achieves an 85 percent cost reduction compared to commercial systems while providing enhanced connectivity through the Firebase real-time database. This research establishes a new paradigm for accessible environmental monitoring, demonstrating that professional-grade water quality assessment can be achieved through intelligent system architecture and cost-effective component selection.