Tax holiday on low-flow toilets, energy-efficient products

It’s a great time to buy an ultralow-flow toilet, especially for those living in a house built before 1993.

Starting today, toilets that carry the WaterSense label —- and use only 1.28 gallons per flush —- are tax-free through Sunday. Metro Atlanta homeowners also can take advantage of a $100 rebate.

For the cheapest toilets, that brings the cost down to about $50, not including delivery and installation.

Energy-efficient products that carry the ENERGY STAR label also are tax-free starting today, including televisions, compact fluorescent light bulbs and refrigerators. In all cases, the state and local sales tax exemption is only good for products priced at $1,500 or less.

Appliance specialist Keelyn Bowman at Best Buy’s Buckhead location said, “There’s a lot of interest in dishwashers and washing machines that have steam cycles because they use less water, kill germs and remove caked-on foods. Customers are also picking out appliances with color, rather than the standard white tones, like silver, turquoise, blue and red models.”

State Rep. Lynn Smith (R-Newnan), chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, said tax holidays are the right way for governments to encourage energy and water conservation, “not by more rules and regs.”

This is the state’s first sales tax holiday for water-efficient products. It was an environmentally friendly sweetener added earlier this year to state legislation designed to fast-track new water supply reservoirs. WaterSense showerheads and bathroom faucets also qualify for the tax exemption.

Products that carry the WaterSense and ENERGY STAR labels are certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.