Implementation of an Automated System Using IoT Flowmeters at a Pilot Level to Demonstrate Its Applicability in a Remote Population of the Border from Ecuador, South America

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a solution that can be used to contribute to clean water and sanitation, especially in remote places with difficult access and without optimal connections. The objectives of this work were to design and implement at a pilot level an automated low-cost flowmeters system with IoT to detect water consumption data in the city of Arenillas in southern Ecuador, the border with Peru, South América. The municipal management of Potable Water of Arenillas (EMRAPAH) does not have water meters installed in the homes. This work contributed to determining the feasibility of installing IoT flowmeters in all homes and that they can be billed based on the consumption of drinking water itself. A transmitter–receiver board and a direct one were manufactured with YF-S201 sensors. The plates were installed in a 1/2″ diameter PVC connection of the drinking water treatment plant (WTP) building and a single-family home to test its operation in real conditions. The Wi-Fi network was linked with the Arduino software for interconnection between boards, information processing, visualization, and downloading of historical data in ThingSpeak. The results presented a stationary trend with a total accumulated in the WTP building of 37.05 m3/month and the single-family house of 17.86 m3/month in November 2020. The real conditions test with Internet and electrical power coverage was successful and showed the potential of the IoT to automate the city in the future with flowmeters and control drinking water consumption to contribute to Goal 6 of Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.