County close to retrofit credit program
by Andy Phelan
andy@dekalbchamp.com
The county is preparing to offer residents up to $300.
No, not in the form of a check like President George W. Bush’s 2001 tax cut refund but as a credit on water bills.
Although county lawmakers put off a decision on whether to mandate the installation of low-flow fixtures upon resale of homes built before 1993, there is consensus on an incentive-based plan to encourage residents to trade in their water-wasting toilets an replace them with more efficient ones.
Commissioners appear close to approving a resolution that would credit residents $100 for every ultra low-flow toilet they install to replace older, inefficient models and $50 for every regular low-flow toilet. Ultra low-flow is defined as 1.28 gallons per flush, while regular is 1.6 gallons per flush. Toilets built before 1993 carry five gallons per flush.
Customers would receive credit for up to three re-installations that would appear on their water bill. The Home Depot on Lawrenceville Highway sells basic low-flow toilets for $49 and offers customers who pick it up and bring it home the option of sending a plumber to install it for additional $59.
The county appears prepared to set aside about $500,000 for the program, which would expire Dec. 31, 2008, or whenever the $500,000 runs out – whichever comes first.
The board would have approved the measure Dec. 18, but could not come to a consensus on whether apartments with individual meters would also be eligible for the benefit. Currently the resolution only speaks to owner-occupied, single-family detached homes.
Commissioner Jeff Rader, who was one of the first county officials to speak publicly about the need to conserve water in the face of an historic drought, said apartment building owners could recoup the costs of replacing toilets by saving on their water bills.
“But if the tenant pays the water bill, then the tenant should get the savings,” said Rader. “If you have individually metered property, you should be eligible for the refund.”
Residents will be required to submit an application, submit the original receipt for the toilets and certify that the toilet was installed.
“I don’t support mandatory retrofitting,” said Commissioner Burrell Ellis. “Incentives are the right way to go.”
Ellis said he is concerned the retrofit legislation, which includes criminal penalties, hefty fines and strict certification process, makes it unclear whether the buyer, seller or Realtor would be responsible for changes.
Many Realtors said they prefer an incentive-based plan not mandates because retrofitting makes it more difficult to sell a home in an already soft market.
“I promise you, sales will suffer in DeKalb if the mandatory law is passed as is,” said Van Johnson, president of the Georgia Association of Realtors.
He estimated DeKalb has about 5,000 homes on the market built before 1993. Altogether the county has 165,000 homes built before 1993 that might require some retrofitting. Johnson said after low-flow toilets, faucets and showerheads are installed and plumbing fixtures adjusted if needed it could cost $1,000.
“Adding another layer of costs when we’re already in trouble is not the right thing to do in our opinion,” he said. “Sometimes these things just go too far.”
Rader said the mandatory retrofit law might still be approved in early ’08, saying the lawmakers had done a lot to improve the “perceived defects.”
“Now the ordinance provides that the certification process must be accomplished by the applicant for new water service,” said Rader. “There are no penalties on Realtors or closing attorneys. Now if you want water service and your property was built before 1993, you’ll have to provide documentation that it has been retrofitted.”
|
