Dekalb County Plumbing Retrofit Approved

On February 26, 2008 Dekalb County approved the Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures Replacement Plan. Any home built prior to 1993 must have low flow toilet and plumbing fixtures installed before the homeowner can obtain water from the county.

Effective June 1, 2008, sellers will be required to disclose the Dekalb County Ordinance when selling their homes. Listing agents in Dekalb should add a notice of this ordinance to the seller’s disclosure and/or sales contract. Before the new homeowner can obtain water service, they must provide written proof from a home inspector, licensed plumber, or a Department of Watershed Inspector. This certificate will be required with their application for water service.

Single family homes and condos will need to have the following:
1. Toilets can have a max of 1.6 gallons per flush
2. Shower heads can put out a max of 2.5 gallons per minute
3. Lavatory faucets can put out a max of 2 gallons per minute
4. Kitchen faucets can put out a mac of 2.2 gallons per minute

Based on average home sales statistics, Dekalb County foresees saving 360,000 gallons of water a day by enacting this ordinance and predicts it will take more than 33 years to replace all of the older water guzzling toilets and fixtures.

There are some exemptions to this ordinance and they include the following:
1. Foreclosure sales
2. Family sales > from spouse to spouse or from parents to their children
3. Homes that will be demolished after the sale
4. Circumstances where the cost of the toilet will be over $1,000.00 per toilet change out

If you violate these new laws, you are subject to the following penalties:
1. First violation will be warning
2. Second violation (within 12 months of first violation) will be $250.00
3. Third violation (within 12 months of first violation) will be $500.00