PROJECT TITLE
AquaWhisper
listens to plants and delivers perfect drops
PROJECT GOAL: Water scarcity is a major challenge in Tucson, where long-term drought and high temperatures strain limited water supplies. Many homeowners with desert landscaping unintentionally waste water by overwatering plants that require minimal irrigation. This not only increases household water use but also places stress on local water systems and community gardens. Our project aims to reduce unnecessary water consumption by delivering the exact amount of water each plant species needs.
To identify the most pressing water-related needs in our community, we reviewed local drought reports and guidelines from water agencies. We observed that many households with diverse landscaping overwater plants because they do not know the amount of water required for each species. In the Tucson metro area, roughly 40% of residential water use goes to outdoor/landscape irrigation, according to the City of Tucson (.gov). Several community gardens expressed similar challenges, with volunteers frequently watering plants unevenly. We spoke with homeowners and garden coordinators who described difficulty keeping plants healthy during extreme heat while trying to conserve water. These conversations helped us understand that users want a simple, plant-specific watering system that reduces waste without requiring constant monitoring. We selected homeowners with diverse landscaping as our primary user group because they represent a large portion of local water consumption. Community gardens/Landscapers serve as the secondary group facing similar challenges.
