Sales Tax Holiday Saves Water, Money

Save water and cents – or even dollars – on Oct. 5-7 as Georgia holds a sales tax holiday for WaterSense-labeled products.

Those products will be exempt from both state and local sales taxes.

Toilets, showerheads, faucets, irrigation controllers and other products that use at least 20 percent less water while still performing as well or better than conventional models get the WaterSense label. Independent third parties certify that products meet EPA criteria for water efficiency according to the Metropolitan North Georgia Water District.

“Some people think a new showerhead won’t make a difference, but it does,” said Dallas Mayor Boyd Austin, chair of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. “Every drop of water counts in metro Atlanta, and we can all do our part.”

Replacement            Savings

Showerhead            Thousands of gallons a year

Toilet                        More than 2 gallons a flush (most new homes use low-flow toilets)

The savings could be even greater as residents who buy 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 online.

The following water providers participate in the Metro Water District’s Regional Toilet Rebate Program:

• Bartow County Water Department
• Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority
• City of Cumming Department of Utilities
• Forsyth County Dept. of Water and Sewer  
• Fulton County Dept. of Public Works
• City of Roswell
• City of Woodstock Water and Sewer

The following water providers operate individual toilet rebate programs:

• City of Ball Ground
• City of Cartersville Water Department
• Paulding County Water System

The sales tax holiday on WaterSense labeled products will start Friday, Oct. 5 at midnight and will continue through the weekend until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7. 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.

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, new homes and services. Search for WaterSense-labeled products online on the EPA's website. 

Check out other water savings strategies online, too.