Toilet Retrofit Rebate Program

Do you know that the average American flushes 26% o

f their water down thetoilet? That accounts for more than 9,100 gallons of water per person each year, flushed away! Effective Janurary 1, 2008, the Department of Watershed Management (DWM) began offering a toilet retrofit rebate program to those who qualify.  Homes in Dekalb & Cobb County that were built prior to 1993 and are individually metered can retrofit up the three toilets per home. The rebate program provides two options, a $50.00 rebate for a 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) toilet or a $100.00 rebate for a 1.28 gpf toilet.

The participation for Dekalb residents in the Toilet Retrofit Rebate Program has been tremendous thus far. According to information contained in the Toilet Retrofit Rebate Program applications, at least 5,681 toilets were replaced in DeKalb County. Approximately $428,594.00 in rebates was disbursed. This program continues to be one of the components of the Department’s long term water conservation efforts.

For more information about the program, including the guidelines, the applications, and the lists of approved toilets, please visit the website at http://www.dekalbwatershed.com. If you do not have internet access, please call 770-270-6243 and an application and information packet will be mailed to you.

Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures Replacement Ordinance

On February 26, 2008, the Dekalb County Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance requiring owners of buildings/ structures constructed prior to 1993, to replace all inefficient plumbing fixtures with low-flow water effiicient plumbing fixtures upon resale. Dekalb County is the first County in the state of Georgia to adopt such legislation. We believe it is an essential component of our long term water conservation efforts, and will help to advance the preservation of our limited water resources. This ordinance went into effect on June 1, 2008 for residential properties and January 1, 2009 for commercial properties. For more information on the requirement, exemptions, and penalties, please visit the website at http://www.dekalbwatershed.com.

We have mildew growing on our bathroom ceiling! I noticed it a few wks ago – after we had some heavy rain. It’s in our guest bathroom is on the top floor. Is it our roof? Plumbing problem? Is this something we can fix ourselves? Thank you for any advice!

We moved into a home with glossy ceramic tile on the floor in the kids bathroom. It gets slippery when it’s wet. A friend said we should re-do the floor with something else not so slippery. What do you think? What’s safer, but inexpensive?