Smart Networked Water Tank Monitoring

and Control System

Design, Implementation, and Testing of an IoT-Based
Automated Water Management System

Ajay Bala
[Link] Computer Science and Engineering
Gandhi Institute for Education and Technology, Khordha

Submitted to

Ian Harris, Professor

December 25, 2025

IoT Project Report Smart Water Tank System

Contents
Abstract 2

1 Introduction 2

2 Problem Statement 2

3 System Requirements 2
3.1 Functional Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.2 Non-Functional Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

4 System Design 3
4.1 Controller Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4.2 Water Level Sensing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4.3 Network Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4.4 Control Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

5 Detailed Design 4
5.1 Automatic Control Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

6 Testing 4
6.1 Component Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
6.2 Integration Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
6.3 System-Level Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

7 Results 5

8 Conclusion 5

9 Future Scope 5

10 References 5

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IoT Project Report Smart Water Tank System

Abstract
Manual water tank management often results in overflow, dry running of pumps, and un-
necessary electricity consumption. This project presents the design and development of a
Smart Networked Water Tank Monitoring and Control System using Internet of Things
(IoT) principles. The system monitors water level in real time, automatically controls
a water pump, and enables remote monitoring and manual override via network com-
munication. The project emphasizes system-level design decisions, fault handling, and
structured testing, making it suitable for real-world deployment and academic evaluation.

1 Introduction
Efficient water management is a critical requirement in residential and institutional build-
ings. Traditional manual control of water pumps is unreliable and inefficient. The inte-
gration of IoT technology enables automation, remote monitoring, and intelligent control
of water systems. This project aims to manage water tanks automatically while providing
users with real-time status and control access.

2 Problem Statement
Water tanks frequently suffer from overflow, pump dry running, and delayed human inter-
vention. These issues lead to water wastage, increased electricity usage, and equipment
damage. A reliable, automated system is required to monitor water levels continuously
and control the pump efficiently.

3 System Requirements
3.1 Functional Requirements
• Measure water level continuously

• Automatically control the water pump

• Display real-time water level and pump status

• Allow remote manual override

3.2 Non-Functional Requirements

• Response time less than 2 seconds

• Reliable operation under network failure

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IoT Project Report Smart Water Tank System

• Low power consumption

• Cost-effective design

4 System Design
System design focuses on high-level architectural decisions that impact cost, performance,
and reliability.

4.1 Controller Selection

Alternatives Considered:

• Arduino Uno

• ESP32

• Raspberry Pi

Selected Option: ESP32 The ESP32 was selected due to its built-in Wi-Fi, low
power consumption, sufficient processing capability, and low cost.

4.2 Water Level Sensing

Alternatives:

• Float switches

• Ultrasonic sensor

• Pressure sensor

Selected Option: Ultrasonic sensor for continuous measurement.

4.3 Network Communication

MQTT protocol was selected due to its lightweight publish/subscribe model and suitabil-
ity for IoT systems.

4.4 Control Strategy

A finite state machine (FSM) was chosen over simple conditional logic to ensure pre-
dictable and fault-tolerant behavior. The system states include:

• EMPTY

• FILLING

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IoT Project Report Smart Water Tank System

• FULL

• ERROR

5 Detailed Design
The ESP32 periodically reads sensor data, filters noise, and converts readings into per-
centage water levels. Based on FSM logic, the relay controlling the pump is activated or
deactivated. Network modules handle data transmission and command reception.

5.1 Automatic Control Rules

• Water level ¡ 30% → Pump ON

• Water level 90% → Pump OFF

• Sensor failure → ERROR state

6 Testing
Testing was divided into component testing and integration testing.

6.1 Component Testing

• Sensor accuracy and range testing

• Relay and pump ON/OFF validation

• Network communication testing

6.2 Integration Testing

Testing was performed incrementally by integrating components step-by-step to simplify
debugging and fault isolation.

6.3 System-Level Testing

• Automatic pump control validation

• Manual override testing

• Network failure recovery

• Power restart behavior

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IoT Project Report Smart Water Tank System

7 Results
The system successfully monitored water levels in real time and controlled the pump
automatically. Remote monitoring and manual override were achieved with acceptable
latency. The system met all functional and non-functional requirements.

8 Conclusion
This project demonstrates a practical IoT-based solution for automated water tank man-
agement. Through careful system design, structured testing, and fault handling, the
system achieves reliable and efficient operation. The project meets capstone design ob-
jectives and provides a strong foundation for real-world deployment.

9 Future Scope
• Cloud-based data logging and analytics

• Mobile application integration

• Predictive maintenance using machine learning

• Support for multiple tanks and buildings

10 References
• ESP32 Technical Reference Manual

• MQTT Protocol Specification

• Ultrasonic Sensor Datasheets

• IoT Capstone Design Literature