What is Hydroworks?
Group 13, Hydroworks, developed a non-instrusive, reliable, and plug-and-play solution to a water management system. Utilizing non-contact liquid level sensors, the project manages to detect and regulate the level inside a water tank without physically manipulating or entering the water tank. We are a team composing of Alden (me), Adam, Donnel, Raeeze, and Juan.
The Problem
Remote, off-grid property owners need a way to automatically prevent their water pumps from running dry because manual monitoring is unreliable, leads to expensive equipment failures, and creates constant anxiety about their water supply. Specifically with this client, they are looking for a solution with their water system. Their water system works by pulling water from a lake which is then pumped uphill towards a tote. This tote then can gravity feed into another pump that pressurizes their bladder tank. There is no detection system for when this tote goes empty, so this means that if the second pump that feeds the bladder tank runs with no water running through it, it can damage itself.
The Process
This project was a semester long project, and our professor really hammered down one thing: the design process. This project required us to solve a specific clients problem and even though that sounds simple, it can easily become a confusing mess if you don't have a clear step-by-step plan. We had to go through the design process, which included defining the problem, researching existing solutions, brainstorming ideas, prototyping, testing, and finally presenting our solution. Throughout the semester, he had us stay on track with the design process, submitting deliverable assignments for each step.
Electrical Design
The entire system is powered by a DC jack on the side of the box, which will be stepped-down to 5V with a DC-DC buck converter so that the electronics can run. The brains of this system uses an ESP32 microcontroller, which was selected because of its low power consumption, built-in Wi-Fi, and ease of use. The ESP32 is programmed to read the water level from non-contact liquid level sensors, which are mounted on the outside of the water tote, and then send this data to a relay module that controls the water pump. The ESP32 is also programmed to send notifications to the user via email when the water level is low and filled up so the user can have comfort in knowing the status of their water system. Some LEDs are also installed to indicate the current status, such as when the water level is below threshold, when water level is above threshold, and when the water pump is running.
What Makes Us Different
Since this project is competing with other groups, we realized that we needed our project to stand out. The most unique aspect of our project is the utilization of non-contact liquid level sensors, which detects fluid inside a container or pipe from the outside without physically touching the liquid. This is a huge advantage because instead of using a ultrasonic sensor that needs to be inside the customer's tote, we can fully monitor the water level without ever needing to open up anything. This is a huge advantage because it means that installation is much easier, and upkeep would be easier since everything is visible outside of the tote. Another advantage is that we had a antenna connected to the ESP32 to extend the range of the Wi-Fi signal, allowing the system to interface up to 500 meters or more. The final huge advantage is that we utlized the ESP32s built in sleep mode for moments when nothing is happening to fully optimize power consumption, massively reducing the power draw of the overall system. We have run calculations based on documented tests and found that our system based on the average amount of residents in a cottage would consume ~9.04 Wh/day.
The Great Pitch
This project that we had been working on throughout the semester was presented at the University of Ottawa's Design Day Winter 2026, where we pitched our project to a panel of judges. We only had 5 minutes to present our product, so we had to make sure we conveyed the problem, showed our solution, and WHY US! Us 5 managed to plan out the pitch by splitting up the presentation into 5 parts, where each of us had a specific aspect we were strong at to present. We managed to win the competition, and we were awarded a cash prize of $125 for our efforts.
Tools & Tech
- OnShape for 3D CAD, alongside 3D printing
- ESP32 programming (C), with Arduino IDE
- Power consumption analysis (multimeters and DC power supplies)
- Soldering & hand assembly