Alternatives of IoT Irrigation Systems for the Gardens of Arequipa

Abstract

To resolve the drinking water scarcity problem in cities around the world, innovative proposals have been proposed to automate garden irrigation at homes and reduce drinking water consumption. In this study, a survey was conducted on 68 inhabitants of the Region of Arequipa, Peru to determine common habits in the irrigation of gardens. From these data, two systems were implemented in two average gardens using the Arduino Uno board (integrated with Ethernet Shield) and NodeMCU. Each system integrates soil moisture sensors, water flow sensors, and actuators, such as solenoid valves and relays. In addition, the information was centralized through an Internet of things system (Home Assistant or Adafruit IO). This made it possible to compare the two systems used in the two gardens, generating a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of each proposal and the capability of each system to save potable water in the irrigation of plants.