IoT-Based Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring System: Design, Development, and Deployment: Case Study at Ardhi University, Tanzania

Abstract

Water quality monitoring is a critical challenge in developing nations, where traditional laboratory-based methods are time-consuming, prone to human error, and incapable of delivering real-time insights. This paper presents the design, development, and evaluation of an Internet of Things (IoT)-based Water Quality Monitoring System deployed as a case study at Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The proposed system integrates an Arduino Mega microcontroller with four sensors (pH, temperature, turbidity, and color) and a NodeMCU Wi-Fi module to transmit sensor readings to a cloud platform (ThingSpeak) in near real-time. A complementary web application for administrative management and an Android mobile application for end-user access was developed using PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Java. System development followed the Spiral methodology, supporting continuous user involvement and iterative enhancement. Requirements were gathered through observation, literature review, and structured interviews with university stakeholders. The system was validated through functional testing, achieving all predefined functional requirements. Results demonstrate that the Water Quality Monitoring System provides reliable, automated, real-time monitoring of key water parameters, offering a cost-effective and scalable alternative to manual water quality assessment. The study contributes a low-cost, customizable IoT monitoring framework suitable for university campuses and broader public water infrastructure in Africa.

Keywords: Water quality monitoring, Internet of Things (IoT), Sensor network, Real-time data, Web application.