Real-Time Urban Manhole Monitoring Using IoT and LoRa

Abstract

Manholes are n important element of drainage and sanitation systems in an everevolving urban landscape. However, they are faced with issues of toxic gas buildup, flooding and displaced covers. Traditional means of monitoring manholes consist of manual inspections; extremely time consuming and unsafe for the Inspector. To solve this problem, a Real-Time Urban Manhole Monitoring System was created using an Arduino UNO and IoT functionality, which includes several Sensors such as the MQ-135 Gas Sensor, HC-SR04 Ultrasonic for detecting the water level in the manhole, Mercury Tilt Sensor for displacement of the manhole cover, and the DHT11 Sensor for temperature and humidity readings. The Below sensor data is transmitted to the cloud via a LoRaWAN communication module operating at 433 MHz, which provides long-range communication and bypasses the limitations of traditional GSM systems. The sensor data is sent to the ThingSpeak cloud platform for real-time monitoring, while an emergency alert is sent via WhatsApp using the Twilio API. A Node.js web dashboard provides municipal authorities with a real-time monitoring solution for their city’s manhole status, allowing them to identify hazardous situations and improve the safety of urban infrastructure.

Introduction

The text discusses the challenges and risks associated with traditional monitoring of underground drainage systems and manholes, including toxic gas accumulation, flooding, and displaced covers. Manual inspection methods are inefficient, time-consuming, and dangerous for workers, especially in rapidly expanding urban areas.

To address these issues, a Real-Time Urban Manhole Monitoring System based on IoT technology is proposed. The system uses an Arduino UNO and multiple sensors to continuously monitor critical parameters such as gas levels, water levels, temperature, humidity, and manhole cover position.

Key features include:

• Gas detection using MQ-135 sensor for harmful gases
• Water level monitoring using ultrasonic and water level sensors
• Environmental monitoring via temperature and humidity sensors
• Tilt detection to identify displaced manhole covers

For communication, the system uses LoRa WAN, which provides reliable long-range data transmission even in underground environments, unlike GSM or WiFi. Collected data is uploaded to the ThingSpeak cloud platform for real-time monitoring.

In case of abnormal conditions (e.g., high gas levels or flooding), the system automatically sends alerts via WhatsApp notifications using the Twilio API. A Node.js web dashboard allows authorities to monitor multiple manholes and respond quickly to potential hazards.

Compared to existing systems, the proposed solution improves reliability, reduces costs, supports real-time monitoring, and enhances worker safety. Overall, it offers an efficient, automated, and scalable approach to managing urban drainage infrastructure and preventing accidents.

Conclusion

Real-Time Monitoring of Manholes in an Urban Environment is a possible option to help manage an urban drainage system and keep them safe. The Real-Time monitoring system uses Arduino Uno and sensors to monitor different variables including gas levels in the manhole, water level, temperature, humidity and location of the manhole cover enabling it to collect and review data from a safety perspective and help identify hazardous situations (toxic gas build-up, flooding or movement of the manhole cover). LoRa communication helps the proposed system transmit data over long distances and in an environment where communication is impossible. This will aid in keeping the maintenance staff and authorities safe. The proposed system is a feasible model because of its reliability and cost-effectiveness. But it is important that the proposed system can withstand the different types of environmental elements and the payload attached to the LoRa. The proposed hardware must also be made water resistant. There is a need for another improvement on the proposed system in the future through AI technology that can provide analysis of data, making the system more intelligent. Through the analysis of patterns, this will help ensure the safety of the smart city. The Real-Time Urban Manhole Monitoring System is a possible solution for the management and safety of urban drainage infrastructure. Implementation of the proposed system will be accomplished using numerous sensors attached to an Arduino Uno, which will allow for the monitoring of critical parameters such as gas concentrations, water levels, temperature, humidity, and the location/removal of the manhole cover. This will allow the system to monitor and analyze the data in real-time while monitoring for any possible issues such as hazardous accumulation of toxic gas, flooding, and the movement of the manhole cover. The system proposed can use the LoRa technology for ensuring data transmission capacity over a long distance and in other situations where conventional means of communication may not be available. For instance, this can assist with the safety of personnel, including agency personnel and maintenance personnel. This system is also practicable as it offers a viable and cost-effective option. Nevertheless, the LoRa payload and the environmental conditions of the hardware used with the proposed system will have to be considered for the design. In addition, the hardware will have to be shielded from water. In future iterations of the proposed system, advancement in Artificial Intelligence (AI) will help to increase the intelligence of the system through pattern analysis and ensure the safety of the smart city overall.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 K.V.L. Narayana, P. Deepak Kumar, V. Navya, B. Sumalatha, D. Akash. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.