This simple circuit sounds a beeper when its electrodes detect water. It is powered by a single 1.5v N cell. A small 1.5v button battery will also work. More Detail discovercircuits.com
WATER SEEPAGE ALARM
DOORKNOB ALARM
Many companies offer simple alarm devices for personal use in bedrooms or hotel rooms. A metal chain attached to a box holding the electronics is placed around the inside doorknob of a wood door. Anyone grabbing the knob from the outside is detected by the electrical capacitance change that occurs from the human hand contact between the knob and the box.
MACHINE POWER LOSS BEEPER
For some medical equipment it is important for an operator when power is lost to the machine. The beeper is powered from a 9v battery and requires the machine to have a power switch with a third set of contacts.
POWER REMINDER BEEPER
This circuit produces a short beep once each minute. It is powered directly off the 120vac power line to remind you that a device connected to the circuit is turned on.
MICRO POWER OVER-TEMPERATURE ALARM
The circuit is powered for years by a single 3 volt lithium battery. It sounds an alarm when the temperature exceeds a certain point. With some minor changes the circuit could also be configured for an under temperature (freeze) alarm.The circuit uses a cheap but accurate thermistor as the temperature sensor.
More Detail
http://www.discovercircuits.com/PDF-FILES/overtemp.pdf