Low-Cost Software and Hardware Infrastructure for Water Quality Sensing in Indigenous Communities

Section 1: Publication

Publication Type

Authorship

Zhou, Z.

Title

Low-Cost Software and Hardware Infrastructure for Water Quality Sensing in Indigenous Communities

Year

2025

Publication Outlet

MacSphere

DOI

ISBN

ISSN

Citation

Abstract

Regular water-quality testing in remote locations can be expensive and complicated due to limited connectivity. This thesis tackles the issue by building a system that uses readily available sensors (pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and temperature) along with an ESP32 microcontroller and LoRa modules to collect and send data over long distances. A custom mesh network protocol adapts to changing signal paths and interruptions. The backend—using Golang and InfluxDB—processes and stores time-series sensor data, while a React-based interface provides live visualizations. The modular and flexible design makes sure that the system can be tailored to different environmental conditions and adapted to incorporate new technologies.

Plain Language Summary

Section 2: Additional Information

Program Affiliations

GWFO: Global Water Futures Observatories

GIWS: Global Institute for Water Security

Project Affiliations

GWF-CCIWQT: Co-Creation of Indigenous Water Quality Tools

Submitters

Name	Role	Email	Institution

Publication Stage

Theme

Presentation Format

Additional Information