Georgians will be exempt from state and local sales and use taxes when they purchase qualified energy efficient and water efficient products from 12:01 a.m. today (Thursday) until midnight on Sunday, October 4.

Merchandise carrying the Energy Star and/or WaterSense designations and costing $1,500 or less will be tax exempt. The items must be purchased for personal use.

Specifically, the sales tax exemption applies to Energy Star-qualified dishwashers, washing machines, room air conditioners, ceiling fans, compact fluorescent light bulbs, dehumidifiers, programmable thermostats, refrigerators, doors, and windows, including skylights.

In addition to the up-front cost savings provided by the sales tax holiday, Energy Star appliances, electronics, and lighting use less energy than older models so consumers also save money on the operations end.

Merchandise that qualifies for the Energy Star label meets strict energy efficient guidelines set by the United States Department of Energy and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

To learn more about what Energy Star is and how the purchase of an energy efficient appliance can save energy and money while protecting the environment, visit the following website: www.energystar.gov.

WaterSense products will likewise be exempt from sales tax this weekend. Among these items are shower heads, high-efficiency toilets and flushing urinals, weather or sensorbased irrigation controllers, and bathroom sink faucets and faucet accessories such as aerators.

Sponsored by the EPA, the WaterSense partnership program makes it easy for Americans to save water and consequently, protect the environment. Many products are available that do not require a change in one's lifestyle.

In essence, the WaterSense designation indicates that a certain product meets water efficiency and performance criteria — that it is engineered to perform well, help save money, and encourage innovation in manufacturing.

To learn more about WaterSense products, go to www.epa.gov/ watersense.

Facts related to Energy Star and WaterSense products include:

.. An Energy Star refrigerator uses less energy than a 75-watt bulb and can save you up to $60 per year on your energy bill when compared to refrigerators manufactured prior to 1993.

.. An Energy Star dishwasher uses 25-percent less energy than models without the label and can lower your utility bills by as much as $25 per year.

.. If all inefficient toilets in United States homes were converted to WaterSense-labeled toilets, we would save enough water to equal 15 days of flow over Niagara Falls.

.. By giving your bathroom a highefficiency makeover by installing WaterSense toilets and faucets or faucet accessories, you would save more than 11,000 gallons of water annually. With reduced water bills, the upgrade could pay for itself in a few short years.

.. An Energy Star washing machine can save you up to $55 a year on your energy bill and conserve enough water for an additional 300 loads of laundry when compared to models produced before 1993.

.. Switching to WaterSense bathroom sink faucets or faucet accessories could save your family enough water annually to do 14 loads of laundry.

.. A compact fluorescent light bulb uses 68-percent less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and lasts 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt compact fluorescent bulb can save you $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.