October is once again a great time to commit to saving water. For a second year in a row, Georgia is offering a Sales Tax Holiday for water saving products. WaterSense-labeled products purchased October 4-6 will be exempt from state and local sales taxes.
WaterSense-labeled toilets, showerheads, faucets, irrigation controllers and other products use at least 20 percent less water, and perform as well as or better than conventional models. Independent third parties certify that products meet EPA criteria for water efficiency. “We use more water in our homes than anywhere else. Simple things like changing a showerhead or adding an aerator to an existing faucet can really make a difference, saving both water and money,” said Dallas Mayor Boyd Austin, chair of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.
Replacing a standard showerhead with a WaterSense-labeled one can save thousands of gallons of water a year. Replacing an old toilet with a water-efficient one will save more than two gallons a flush. Besides saving money on the sales tax, residents who purchase a WaterSense-labeled toilet may qualify for a rebate. Details about which utilities offer rebates, either directly or through the Metro Water District, are available at www.northgeorgiawater.org/toiletrebate.
The sales tax holiday on WaterSense-labeled products will start Friday, Oct. 4, at 12:01 a.m. and will continue through the weekend until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6. WaterSense-labeled products with a sales price of $1,500 or less purchased for noncommercial home or personal use during the sales tax holiday will be Georgia state and local sales tax-free.
“The WaterSense labels let consumers know that a product has met standards for water efficiency and performance," said Stan Meiburg, Acting Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Southeast. “These products are typically 20-30 percent more efficient, which saves consumers money and helps protect natural resources.”
WaterSense is a partnership program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products for homes, yards and businessess. To search for WaterSense-labeled products, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/product_search.html
