Development of a Monitoring Suite for an Autonomous Water Purification System

In many regions, ensuring access to safe drinking water remains a key developmental challenge. The worsening of this issue, particularly in the global south, is exacerbated by factors such as population expansion, climate shifts, and the depletion of accessible potable groundwater. Implementing effective water distribution systems in sparsely populated areas presents a significant challenge for developing nations. For use in Maharashtra, India, a low-cost, high-autonomy water supply and purification framework consisting of well infrastructure, a pump, and a filtration stage was deployed in 50 villages with sizes ranging from 100 to 200 residents. This paper presents the development of a capable control system and data collection concept for the filtration stage of said infrastructure with the goal of increasing serviceability and reliability. Drawing from insights gained through on-site servicing experiences and analysis of existing system data, critical monitoring parameters and servicing procedures were identified. A data collection pipeline was devised that is able to relay information about the system's state even in the absence of GSM coverage using a dependable Bluetooth low energy data carrier approach. Utilizing a model of the system under varying operation conditions, a prognosis model was conceived that is able to predict the filter's life and optimal service intervals. With this model at the core, a software suite consisting of an app, website, and server infrastructure was developed that helps service engineers plan site visits and interface with the filters via Bluetooth while overall reducing system outages and providing valuable data for site planning. With the core principles of affordability, autonomy, and reliability, a software and hardware platform was developed that facilitates and ensures successful adaptation of filtration systems into a broad range of adverse environmental conditions.