COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE WATER HEATER SYSTEMS OPERATING WITH UNRELIABLE WATER SUPPLIES

This paper reports on a cost-effectiveness analysis of four types of water heating systems operating in a situation where there is an unreliable water supply. These systems are electric water heating, a solar water heating system (SWHS) with electricity back-up, the SWHS with an LPG water heater, and an LPG water heater alone. It is found that in the conditions of North Cyprus, that an SWHS with an LPG heater back-up is the most cost-effective, most convenient and most environmentally friendly system. The last three systems all have a cost per m3 of hot water that is approximately 50% of the cost of heating water by electricity. When a pressurized supply of water is available, the cost of heating water is reduced by 20% for the SWHS with LPG back-up and for the heating of water by the LPG heater alone.