Evaluating the efficiency of ‘Waterwise’: A smart automated irrigation system for sustainable water management
Arianney Labvien J. Dangautan, Joanna Y. Remes, Kylla Guia N. Zabala, Liane Luce C. Zapanta, Yuan Ashley O. Tonio, Precylle C. Galido, Angel Lee S. Carpio, & Vianny Nicole P. Montuya
Abstract
Efficient irrigation is essential especially in the areas with limited water resources. However, cost-effective and the availability of automated solutions remain limited, especially for small-scale farmers. This study assesses Waterwise, an Arduino-based irrigation system aimed at optimizing water utilization, improved soil moisture management, and minimizing energy consumption. A true experimental design was employed and conducted in six (6) barangays in Malinao, Aklan, Philippines with thirty (30) farmers selected through accidental sampling. Key performance metrics included water use efficiency (WUE), soil moisture management, and energy use efficiency with findings showing high effectiveness across all areas. WUE recorded a mean score of 4.51, classified as very highly efficient, while soil moisture management obtained an average score of 4.38 and energy efficiency obtained 4.37 average score, both classified as highly efficient. These findings demonstrate the potential of low-cost, automated systems in improving agricultural sustainability. For further implementation, it should include structured user training to support scalability and renewable energy integration in agriculture.
Keywords
efficient irrigation, Arduino, water efficiency, sustainability, cost-effective, energy efficiency
Author information & Contribution
Arianney Labvien J. Dangautan. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.
Joanna Y. Remes. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.
Kylla Guia N. Zabala. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.
Liane Luce C. Zapanta. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.
Yuan Ashley O. Tonio. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.
Precylle C. Galido. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.
Angel Lee S. Carpio. Corresponding author. Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English. Aklan Catholic College Basic Education – English Coordinator and Senior High School Teacher. Email: gheliecarpio@gmail.com
Vianny Nicole P. Montuya. Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Science, Senior High School Science Teacher at Aklan Catholic College. Email: viannynicolemontuya@gmail.com
"Authors 1 and 2 conceptualized and designed the research framework. Authors 3 and 4 contributed to the development of the WaterWise product. Authors 5 and 6 were responsible for data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation. Authors 7 and 8 drafted and critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring its accuracy and integrity."
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Funding
This work was not supported by any funding.
Declaration
The author declares the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in writing this paper. In particular, the author used Grammarly in refining sentence structure, Quillbot in summarizing key points and paraphrasing ideas and Claud to refine the clarity of ideas, ensuring the author’s originality of ideas. The author takes full responsibility in ensuring proper review and editing of contents generated using AI.
Notes
This paper has been presented in International Student Research Congress 2026.
Acknowledgement
The authors express their sincere appreciation to Mr. Jobet S. Nerval for his invaluable contribution to the development of the WaterWise product and for his insightful suggestions that significantly improved this study. We also thank the Barangay Captains of Malinao, Aklan and all respondents for their cooperation and participation. Finally, we acknowledge our families and friends for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout the research process.
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Cite this article:
Dangautan, A.L.J., Remes, J.Y., Zabala, K.G.N., Zapanta, L.L.C., Tonio, Y.A.O., Galido, P.C., Carpio, A.L.S. & Montuya, V.N.P. (2026). Evaluating the efficiency of ‘Waterwise’: A smart automated irrigation system for sustainable water management. The Research Probe, 6(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.53378/trp.209
License:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) International License.
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