Sales Tax Holiday for WaterSense and ENERGY STAR Products Returns to Georgia

The State of Georgia will reward eco-conscious consumers once again during the month of October with a Sales Tax Holiday on both energy and water saving manufactured goods. ENERGY STAR and WaterSense-labeled products with a sales price of $1,500 or less that are purchased for noncommercial home or personal use during the weekend of October 3-5, 2014 will be exempt from state and local sales taxes.

ENERGY STAR – a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy – has been encouraging the employment of both energy saving practices and energy efficient products to save money and protect the environment for more than 20 years. Energy-efficient products that will be tax-exempt during the Sales Tax Holiday include air conditioners, ceiling fans, clothes washers, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, doors, fluorescent light bulbs, programmable thermostats, refrigerators, and windows with the ENERGY STAR label. In order to earn the ENERGY STAR label, products must be pass stringent testing in EPA-recognized laboratories in order to be third-party certified. CLICK HERE for other energy-saving tips to use at home.

In an effort to protect the future of our nation’s water supply, WaterSense – a partnership program initiated by the EPA – sheds light on simple ways to use less water with water-efficient products and services. To be deemed a WaterSense product, water-saving toilets, showerheads, faucets, irrigation controllers and other manufactured goods must meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency criteria for water efficiency and be certified as such by independent third parties. These products use at least 20 percent less water and perform as well as (or better than) conventional models. CLICK HERE to search for WaterSense-labeled products. Take your commitment to water conservation one step further by taking the pledge at MyDropCounts.Org.

Of course, the savings extend beyond the Sales Tax Holiday for those who opt to make the switch to energy- and water-efficient products. Replacing a standard showerhead with a WaterSense-labeled model could save thousands of gallons of water a year, and substituting an old toilet with a water-efficient version could save more than two gallons of water per flush. Beyond saving money on the sales tax and utility bills, residents who purchase a WaterSense-labeled toilet may also qualify for a rebate. Here in Gwinnett, the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, City of Lawrenceville Water Department, and City of Suwanee Water Department are all taking part in the toilet rebate program. To learn more about the toilet rebate program, CLICK HERE!