Impurity detection system in continually running water through machine vision software

A method of analyzing running water for impurities, said method comprising:

• placing a chamber comprising an inlet, an outlet, and at least one optically transmissive window in said water so that at least some of said water, comprising a sample of said water, enters said inlet, transits past said optically transmissive window, and exits said outlet while continuously flowing through said chamber;
• said chamber further comprising a light reflective background disposed underneath said optically transmissive window and configured so that said running water runs between said optically transmissive window and said light reflective background while transiting said chamber;
• said chamber further comprising a mechanical flow meter that produces a visible changing flow signal responsive to a flow rate of said sample of said water;
• said light reflecting background comprising at least one region with a defined optical characteristic;
• said chamber further comprising at least one reagent dispensing system configured to automatically administer, at a controlled rate, at least one reagent into said sample of said water while said water is transiting said chamber;
• further using a smartphone comprising at least one processor, and at least two spatially separated video cameras, said processor and said visible changing flow signal to determine a flow rate of said sample of said water;
• using said flow rate to configure said controlled rate of said one reagent dispensing system;
• said at least one reagent selected to induce a change in the optical characteristics of said sample of said water in response to at least one impurity in said water;
• exposing said chamber to light so that said light reflects off said light reflecting background, passes through at least some of said sample of said water, and exits said optically transmissive window;
• using said smartphone and said at least two spatially separated video cameras to simultaneously obtain, over a plurality of locations along said optically transmissive window, and a plurality of times while said water is transiting said chamber, said plurality of times spanning at least before and during automatic administration of said at least one reagent, color video images from at least two different camera angles, of said plurality of locations along said optically transmissive window;
• said smartphone further comprising a lens attachment, said lens attachment configured to create any of an enhanced spatial separation between said spatially separated video cameras or a different optical filter between said spatially separated cameras;
• and using said at least one processor to analyze said color video images from said spatially separated video cameras, to determine, based on said at least one reagent, and images of said plurality of locations along said optically transmissive window at said plurality of times, and said changes in said optical characteristics of said sample of water, at least one amount and type of impurity in said water;
• wherein said reagent dispensing system is configured to contain reagent sufficient for a plurality of automatic administrations, wherein after a given said determination of said at least one amount and type of impurity in said water is performed, then using said processor to automatically implement a next determination said at least one amount and type of impurity in said water;
• and
• further using said processor to compare said determination against a preset maximum limit of said amount of impurity, and to automatically control any of an alarm system or a water shut-off system when said amount of impurity exceeds said preset limit.