Originally Posted By: wrobedeau This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Most water cooled units are more efficient as the condensing temperature of the refrigerant is lower. Many cities limit the tonnage that can be used as it is a waste of city water. Depending on the cost of water they can be more expensive or less expensive to run than air cooled. Newer units should have a double walled heat exchanger. This is to prevent refrigerant from entering the domestic water stream. I recommend in all cases a backflow preventer be installed on the water. The quality of the water is an issue. If you have corrosives in the water or water that will cause high deposits of material such as calcium or iron the water side of the condenser should be cleaned and inspected annually. In most cases water cooled units they are better performing units and require less maintenance. They can also be installed anywhere water is available inside or out.