Efficient Water Management Using a Soil Moisture Sensor and Arduino

Abstract

The growing need for sustainable agriculture and efficient water use has led to the development of automated irrigation technologies. This study details the design and implementation of a smart irrigation system that uses an Arduino Uno microcontroller, a soil moisture sensor, and a 5V relay module to control a water pump based on real-time soil conditions. The system continuously monitors the soil moisture levels through analog readings from the sensor connected to the Arduino’s A0 pin. Based on these readings, the system intelligently determines whether to turn the water pump on or off using a relay module. To enhance user interaction, an I2C-based 16×2 LCD is integrated, which provides live updates on the system status, including the pump’s operational state and the detected moisture level categorized as High, Mid, or Low. The project was tested under different soil moisture conditions to validate its functionality and responsiveness. It successfully demonstrated automatic irrigation when the soil was dry and halted watering when the moisture level was sufficient, thus conserving water effectively. This automated irrigation system is simple, low-cost, and scalable for small-scale farming, gardens, and educational purposes. Reducing human intervention helps farmers manage irrigation more efficiently and sustainably. Furthermore, the system contributes to water conservation and aligns with modern agricultural practices, promoting smart farming techniques.