A low-cost system for real time monitoring and assessment of potable water quality at consumer sites

This paper presents the design and development of a low cost system for real time monitoring of drinking water quality at consumer sites. The system consists of several in-pipe electrochemical and optical sensors and emphasis is given on low cost, lightweight implementation and reliable long time operation. Such implementation is suitable for large deployments enabling a sensor network approach for providing spatiotemporally rich data to water consumers, water companies and authorities. Extensive literature and market research is performed to identify low cost, on-line sensors that can reliably monitor several parameters which can be used to infer the water quality. Based on selected parameters a sensor array is developed along with several microsystems for analog signal conditioning, processing, logging, and remote presentation of data. Finally, an algorithm for fusing on-line multi sensor measurements is developed to assess the water contamination risk.