heading
AquaWise is a smart, automated irrigation system designed to optimize water use through customizable schedules – start/stop times, duration, flow rate, and total volume. It connects to the irrigation network and adjusts water distribution based on real-time data and plant’s production. The system integrates weather forecasts, environmental conditions (humidity, rainfall, wind, temperature, light), and local soil moisture sensor input to improve efficiency and reduce water waste. AquaWise is scalable for use in gardens, farms, or large agricultural setups and it includes machine learning. It requires basic hardware: affordable soil moisture sensors and a Raspberry Pi programmed in C++. The system controls a hydraulic valve and, if required, a pump. A pilot version is currently implemented in a school garden.
This is how I came up with the idea for this project:AquaWise was inspired by the drying Pediaios River near our school and the increasing concern over water scarcity in Cyprus. During summer, authorities drastically reduce water supply to farmers, causing serious damage to crops and a significant drop in agricultural production. This motivated us to seek smart irrigation solutions.
Sources1. What is Aquatic Science? - ASLO https://www.aslo.org/what-is-aquatic-science/earths-water-resources/ 2. Valuing Water Supply & Sanitation Services - UNESCO https://www.unesco.org/reports/wwdr/2021/en/valuing-water-supply- sanitation-services 3. High and Dry: Climate Change, Water, and the Economy - World Bank https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water/publication/high-and-dry-climate- change-water-and-the-economy 4. Water Resources Across Europe - EEA https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/water-resources-across- europe-confronting 5. Cyprus Government Publications https://publications.gov.cy/assets/user/publications/2024/2024_148/HTML/2/i ndex.html 6. Artificial Intelligence and Irrigation for Farmers - e-agrotis https://e- agrotis.gr/2025/01/%CE%B1%CE%B3%CF%81%CF%8C%CF%84%CE%B 5%CF%82/texniti-noimosini-ardeysi-agrotes.html?utm_source 7. Aral Sea - Universalis Encyclopedia https://www.universalis.fr/encyclopedie/mer-d-aral/ 8. Agrinexus Hub - Eratosthenes https://agrinexushub.eratosthenes.org.cy/ 9. Agro-Kissamos - Agricultural Information https://agro.kissamos.gr/post/26 10. Diary of the Citrus Grower - Ministry of Agriculture, Cyprus https://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/da/da.nsf/All/13C9FD20CAC47CAFC22587AD 002EB285/$file/92To%20imerologio%20tou%20esperidokalliergiti.pdf?Open Element 11. SparkVue Software - PASCO https://www.pasco.com/products/software/sparkvue#free_apps 12. Cyprus Ministry of Agriculture - Agricultural Services https://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/dm/dm.nsf/home_en/home_en?openform 13. Cyprus Department of Meteorology - Weather Stations https://www.dom.org.cy/AWS/ALL_STATIONS_average.html 14. Cyprus Department of Meteorology - Open Data (XML) https://www.dom.org.cy/AWS/OpenData/CyDoM.xml 15. Physical Computing - Using a Relay Module https://lab.arts.ac.uk/books/physical-computing/page/how-to-use-a-relay- module 16. Automated Irrigation Filters - Geoponiko Parko https://www.geoponiko-parko.gr/products/products-categories/aftomato- potisma/filtra-neroy-lipantires/filtra-sitas/1412-detail 17. https://wiki.domoticz.com/Mi_Flora_Bluetooth_LE? 18. https://smarthomescene.com/reviews/xiaomi-miflora-plant-sensor-tuya-version-hhccjcy10-review/?
Documentation
AquaWise - Smart Irrigation and Water Management System Report AquaWise is a smart irrigation system designed to optimize water usage by enabling fully customizable irrigation schedules, including start and stop times, duration, water flow rate, and total water volume. The system connects to the irrigation network via a pump when needed and adjusts water distribution based on real-time environmental data. The system collects and processes information from a weather station, along with publicly available meteorological data such as precipitation forecasts, wind speed, relative humidity, ambient temperature, and illuminance. It also integrates input from local soil moisture sensors to further refine irrigation decisions. By combining these data sources, AquaWise significantly enhances water management efficiency, contributing to substantial water conservation- a critical need amid the rising frequency of droughts and water scarcity. Highly adaptable and scalable, AquaWise can be implemented in gardens, farms, or larger agricultural operations. Its hardware requirements are minimal: commercially available, affordable soil moisture sensors and a Raspberry Pi, programmed in C++, serve as the core components. The system can be tailored to meet the specific watering needs of different plant types, as it includes machine learning. AquaWise controls a hydraulic valve and, when necessary, activates a pump to regulate water flow. If the irrigation network already provides sufficient pressure, no pump is required. For demonstration purposes, the system has been implemented on a small garden plot within our school grounds.
