🌿 Smart Garden Manager in C++ with Robotics, UI, Drones, and Sound "A Rainwater Conservation System for Tomorrow’s Farms"

In an era where climate change and water scarcity are among the most pressing global challenges, the importance of rainwater harvesting cannot be overstated. This blog post introduces a C++-based Smart Rainwater Harvesting System, integrated with robotic sensors, to efficiently monitor and manage rainwater collection. Designed for implementation on platforms such as Arduino or Raspberry Pi, this system detects rainfall, assesses water quality, controls valves, and provides real-time feedback using an LCD and alerts.
Detect rainfall and respond automatically
Monitor water quality (pH and turbidity)
Measure water levels in a storage tank
Control valves using servo motors
Display system status and alerts using LCD, LEDs, and buzzers
Smart homes and eco-buildings
Agricultural irrigation systems
Urban rainwater collection
Educational STEM projects
Component | Purpose |
---|---|
Rain Sensor (YL-83 / RG-11) | Detects rainfall presence |
Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-SR04) | Measures water level in tank |
pH Sensor | Checks acidity or alkalinity of water |
Turbidity Sensor | Detects water cleanliness |
Servo Motor / Solenoid Valve | Controls water flow into tank |
LCD Display (16x2) | Displays readings and alerts |
LED & Buzzer | Visual and audible alerts |
Microcontroller (Arduino Uno/ESP32) | Central controller |
Rain Detected: The rain sensor checks for moisture. If rain is detected, the system moves to quality checks.
Water Quality Assessment: pH and turbidity sensors analyze water. If clean, the valve opens.
Water Storage: The ultrasonic sensor monitors the tank to prevent overflow.
Alerts: If water is dirty or tank is full, alerts are triggered via LED/buzzer.
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>
#include <Servo.h>
#define RAIN_SENSOR_PIN A0
#define PH_SENSOR_PIN A1
#define TURBIDITY_SENSOR_PIN A2
#define TRIG_PIN 9
#define ECHO_PIN 10
#define SERVO_PIN 6
#define BUZZER_PIN 8
#define LED_PIN 7
LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4, 3, 2);
Servo valve;
void setup() {
pinMode(RAIN_SENSOR_PIN, INPUT);
pinMode(PH_SENSOR_PIN, INPUT);
pinMode(TURBIDITY_SENSOR_PIN, INPUT);
pinMode(TRIG_PIN, OUTPUT);
pinMode(ECHO_PIN, INPUT);
pinMode(BUZZER_PIN, OUTPUT);
pinMode(LED_PIN, OUTPUT);
lcd.begin(16, 2);
valve.attach(SERVO_PIN);
valve.write(0); // Valve closed
Serial.begin(9600);
}
float readWaterLevelCM() {
digitalWrite(TRIG_PIN, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(2);
digitalWrite(TRIG_PIN, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(10);
digitalWrite(TRIG_PIN, LOW);
long duration = pulseIn(ECHO_PIN, HIGH);
float distance = duration * 0.034 / 2;
return distance;
}
float readPHValue() {
int sensorValue = analogRead(PH_SENSOR_PIN);
float voltage = sensorValue * 5.0 / 1023.0;
return 7 + ((2.5 - voltage) / 0.18);
}
float readTurbidity() {
int val = analogRead(TURBIDITY_SENSOR_PIN);
return val * (5.0 / 1023.0);
}
void loop() {
lcd.clear();
int rainVal = analogRead(RAIN_SENSOR_PIN);
bool isRaining = rainVal < 800;
float ph = readPHValue();
float turbidity = readTurbidity();
float level = readWaterLevelCM();
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("Rain Detected: ");
lcd.print(isRaining ? "Yes" : "No");
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("Level: ");
lcd.print(level);
lcd.print("cm");
delay(2000);
if (isRaining) {
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("pH: ");
lcd.print(ph, 1);
lcd.setCursor(8, 0);
lcd.print("Turb: ");
lcd.print(turbidity, 1);
if ((ph >= 6.5 && ph <= 8.5) && turbidity < 2.5) {
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("Water Clean");
valve.write(90);
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
digitalWrite(BUZZER_PIN, LOW);
} else {
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("Water Dirty");
valve.write(0);
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
digitalWrite(BUZZER_PIN, HIGH);
}
delay(3000);
} else {
valve.write(0);
digitalWrite(BUZZER_PIN, LOW);
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
}
delay(1000);
}
Sensor | Measurement | Acceptable Range |
---|---|---|
Rain Sensor | Analog value | < 800 (wet) |
pH Sensor | Acidity | 6.5 to 8.5 |
Turbidity Sensor | Water clarity | < 2.5V (clean) |
Ultrasonic Sensor | Tank level | < 100 cm |
Automation: No need to manually monitor or operate valves
Water Conservation: Ensures only clean water is stored
Safety: Prevents storing acid rain or polluted runoff
Scalability: Expandable to farms, buildings, communities
IoT Integration: Send water quality and level data to a smartphone app
Solar-Powered Setup: Make system off-grid
Weather Forecast API: Auto-decide to harvest based on forecast
Camera/AI: Use ML to recognize rain visually
Auto-flush Valve: Discard first dirty rainwater automatically
Acid Rain can lower the pH of water to 4.2, making it corrosive.
Turbid Water is a leading cause of waterborne diseases in rural areas.
Rain sensors are also used in smart car wipers and roof windows.
This Smart Rainwater Harvesting system not only saves water but also ensures that the collected rainwater is safe and usable. Through C++ and embedded systems, we've built an intelligent solution that bridges environmental awareness with practical engineering.
By integrating sensors, servos, and display technologies, this system serves as a great STEM project, a real-world IoT prototype, and a step toward smart environmental infrastructure.
Stay dry. Stay smart. And let your code do the collecting!
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