The average family size in the sample area is 6.46 (median 6 persons, max 30 persons, min 2 persons) and the average estimated cost of heating per capita (dividing 19.46/6.46) is 3.62 LE per person per month (median 3 LE per person, max 25 LE per person, min 0.43 LE per person).
Here the medians (where half the sample is above the value and half the sample below) are more telling than the averages because the outliers (a family with 30 persons, or a family that spends 150 LE on electricity) tend to skew the results.
In the Darb El Ahmar sample (n = 230) we learn that the average estimated monthly cost of water heating is 19.6 LE (median 20 LE, max 65 LE, min 3 LE).
The average family size in the sample area is 4.39 (median 4 persons, max 12 persons , min 1 person) the 0.39 kid always ends up rather funny looking...) and the average estimated cost of heating per capita (dividing 19.6/4.39) is 5.12 LE per month (median 4 LE per person, max 20 LE per person, min 0.57 LE) .
By regarding the medians it appears that the Zabaleen pay a little less than Darb Al Ahmar (15 versus 20) while the family sizes are generally a little larger (6 as compared to 4). The per capita monthly cost of heating water estimated by the families is slightly lower (3 LE per person in Zabaleen versus 4 LE in Darb El Ahmar).
Now we need to look at costs related to specific types of heating systems.
Electric heating systems:
In the Zabaleen Sample (n=64):
Average monthly cost: 26.62
Median: 20
Max: 150
Min: 5
Average family size: 6.2
Median: 5
Max: 30
Min: 2
Average per capita hot water cost: 5.6 LE
Median: 3.75 LE
Max: 25 LE
Min: 0.58 LE
The family spending an estimated 150 LE per month (record ST39) on water heating was using an electric heater and the family size was 8 people. The per capita costs of heating were thus 18.8 LE per month -- unusually high. Similarly, the family spending an estimated 100 LE per month (record ST23) had 7 family members and the per capital consumption was 14.3 LE per month. The family with the largest family, ironically (M68 with 30 family members!) actually reported using an electric heater and boasted the lowest per month per capita costs (30 LE for the whole family, 1 LE per person).
Gas Heating Systems:
In the Zabaleen Sample (n = 16):
Average estimated cost of using a gas heater: 17.5 LE per month
Median: 14.5 LE
Max: 35
Min: 6
Average family size: 6.8
Median: 6.5
Max: 17
Min: 2
Average per capita cost: 2.72
Median: 2.8
Max: 4
Min: 0.82
As in the case with electric heating, the largest family in the sample using gas heaters (record M51 with 17 family members) reported a monthly cost of 14 LE, which translates into the lowest per capita cost (0.82). The suggestion here is that those with the largest families use the least hot water.
Stove top heating systems with butagas:
In the Zabaleen sample (N = 105)
Average estimated cost of using a stove as water heater: 16.58 LE per month
Median: 14 LE
Max: 100
Min: 2
Average family size: 6.58
Median: 6
Max: 29
Min: 2
Average per capita cost: 2.85
Median: 2.8
Max: 12.5
Min: 0.43
Portable One-eye stove heating systems with butagas:
In the Zabaleen sample (N = 10)
Average estimated cost of using a stove as water heater: 16.3 LE per month
Median: 14.5 LE
Max: 30
Min: 5
Average family size: 6.7
Median: 7
Max: 11
Min: 3
Average per capita cost: 2.56
Median: 2.53
Max: 6
Min: 0.714
Kerosene Babur:
In the Zabaleen sample (N = 3)
Average estimated cost of using a babur as water heater: 12.33 LE per month
Median: 14 LE
Max: 18
Min: 5
Average family size: 7
Median: 7
Max: 7
Min: 7
Average per capita cost: 1.76
Median: 2
Max: 2.57
Min: 0.71
Hamil floor grill heating systems with butagas:
In the Zabaleen sample (N = 26)
Average estimated cost of using a stove as water heater: 16.7 LE per month
Median: 5 LE
Max: 30
Min: 5
Average family size: 6.3
Median: 6
Max: 13
Min: 3
Average per capita cost: 2.83
Median: 2.92
Max: 5.25
Min: 0.83
The graphs plotting family size and per capita hot water costs per month seem to show that small families use more hot water than large ones -- a case of rationing perhaps. Individuals or couples without children would be expected to have more discretionary income and might spend it on longer baths and showers. Large families might operate within tight budget constraints and ration the amount of hot water each family member gets. This would be consistent with the typical answer to our question "what will you do if the price of electricity or gas goes up". Most people answered, "reduce consumption. What else can we do?"
While this could be true, it is also possible that there is a downward bias in estimating the amount of money spent on heating water.
Another possibility, given the household structure of the Zabaleen, is that, for example, when there are 17 people in the entire building, but the figure is reported for one dwelling in that building, not everyone is using the same heating system. Though they are all one family, there are actually multiple households, yet the surveyors had to choose one head of household who, when asked the size of the family, reported the size of the entire family. At different times family members may use different heating systems, but the survey methodology, designed by the AKTC to work in the Darb El Ahmar community, cannot capture the nuances of the Zabaleen culture. We have seen families (such as Talaat's) that boil water on the stove on one floor, have an electric heater on another floor and a portable stove on another. This complicated family structure makes it hard to analyze what is really going on in a Zabaleen household without much more detailed information.
Fortunately we have the Darb Al Ahmar data set to compare this with, and see if the non-correspondence between family size and per capita cost is due to unusual use patterns not captured by the survey, or because larger families reduce consumption with rising family size to stay within a budget cieling.
Electric heating systems:
In the Darb El Ahmar Sample (n=126):
Average monthly cost: 21.06
Median: 20
Max: 65
Min: 3.5
Average family size: 4.37
Median: 4
Max: 12
Min: 1
Average per capita hot water cost: 5.67 LE
Median: 4.6 LE
Max: 20 LE
Min: 0.57 LE
The average per capita hot water costs using electricity are remarkably similar to the Zabaleen community, suggesting that the respodents have similar perceptions of what they spend on hot water.
Gas Heating Systems:
In the Darb El Ahmar Sample (n = 45):
Average estimated cost of using a gas heater: 19.48 LE per month
Median: 20 LE
Max: 40
Min: 5
Average family size: 4.2
Median: 4
Max: 8
Min: 1
Average per capita cost: 5.39 LE
Median: 5
Max: 15
Min: 1.16
Stove top heating systems with butagas:
In the Dar El Ahmar sample (N = 48)
Average estimated cost of using a stove as water heater: 14.83 LE per month
Median: 15 LE
Max: 45
Min: 3
Average family size: 4.8
Median: 5
Max: 12
Min: 1
Average per capita cost: 3.73
Median: 3.3
Max: 12
Min: 0.58
Portable One-eye stove heating systems with butagas:
In the Darb El Ahmar sample (N = 2)
Average estimated cost of using a stove as water heater: 18 LE per month
Median: 18 LE
Max: 20
Min: 16
Average family size: 3.5
Median: 3.5
Max: 4
Min: 3
Average per capita cost: 5.33
Median: 5.33
Max: 6.6
Min: 4
Kerosene Babur:
In the Darb El Ahmar sample (N = 8)
Average estimated cost of using a babur as water heater: 28.14 LE per month
Median: 30 LE
Max: 50
Min: 7
Average family size: 3.75
Median: 4
Max: 6
Min: 1
Average per capita cost: 9.18
Median: 10
Max: 15
Min: 1.4
Hamil Floor Grill With Buta Gas
In Darb Al Ahmar (N=1)
Average estimated cost of using a hamil as water heater: 20 LE per month
Median: 20 LE
Max: 20
Min: 20
Average family size: 2
Median: 2
Max: 2
Min: 2
Average per capita cost:10
Median: 10
Max: 10
Min: 10
No point in putting a graph here since there is only one sample, hence no trend.
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