A conductivity and temperature sensor array for detecting saltwater intrusion in shore-based communities

Numerous coastal communities, existing in archipelagic countries like the Philippines, depend on groundwater for their daily sustenance. Groundwater can be adversely affected by saltwater intrusion and becomes brackish water, with salinity ranging from 0.5ppt to 17ppt. Consumption of brackish water may cause kidney ailments and death to terrestrial plants. Saltwater intrusion occurs when seawater moves into inland freshwater aquifers due to the decrease in the water pressure in the aquifers which may be caused by over pumping of freshwater. To monitor the extent of saltwater intrusion, periodic measurements of water salinity must be made on the shore. Sensors placed in different depths from the ground and different distances from the shoreline, can help demonstrate the extent of saltwater intrusion in the area. We present a data acquisition system that can measure the salinity of water with relation to its conductivity and temperature and save the data in a memory device. This system provides an easy and non-obtrusive way of acquiring data and a cost-effective alternative to expensive commercially available sensors.