Hi,
I work with Main Roads WA, and currently my area of responsibility is remote site rest areas. Specifically,
toilets in rest areas.
To cut a long story short, most if not all of the
toilets that we provide in rest areas are in a bad state. In the past we put in long-drop pits, but we are no longer allowed to do that (take it up with the department of health if you disagree). So recently, on decommissioning old pits, we've been putting in Enviro Loos. These are a composting design, but one that hasn't worked for us because the mechanisms inside them break very easily. There are 3 such
toilets on the Eyre Highway, a few in the Gascoyne Area, and quite a few in the
Pilbara area such as at De
Grey River. They look quite new, and most are less than 2 years old, but we have big problems with them. You can tell them apart from a pit because they have a black lid out the back, and the bowl is made of porcelain rather than steel. They also look newish compared to pits, which are all quite old and battered.
We have huge problems with these. We cannot seem to maintain them to a point where they remain functional, and no matter what we do, someone finds a way of ruining or wrecking it. Understanding that we are Government and cannot spend a kings ransom on maintenance or even the facility itself (mind you, for the cost to us of installing such a
toilet, you could build yourself a small brick house). We've had to shut up most of the facilities while we work on a solution, which will hopefully be in place for the
grey brigade and you guys in a few months.
But anyway, I'd like to know of any people here who've used the
toilets in our rest areas, and get your opinions. I know they are generally disgusting, and I know there probably aren't enough of them. But would people have any useful ideas to contribute? Like the idea of somehow pricing the use of these facilities (they are free)? The providing of buckets and brushes and information? Whether graffiti is an issue to you? Your willingness to perform a small amount of '
toilet maintenance' like you would in your own
toilets? The nature of people you think might be wrecking our facilities? Are they not sturdy enough? How busy they can get at times? Or
places where you feel
rest area toilets are now required but aren't provided? We are very likely to replace the pit
toilet at the free
Murchison River campsite on Northwest Coastal Highway, with an alternative in the next month or two, and would people have any suggestions they would like made and considered?
All comment will be read and responded to if appropriate, and all comment is appreciated. Please respond to this message, which will go to my work email address, or to rest.stop.
toilets@mainroads.wa.gov.au. If anyone would like to discuss the matter over the phone during work hours, I am happy to do so, but please respond indicating as much.
Cheers
Ian Peters