A matter of convenience

When you've gotta go, you've gotta find somewhere. Andrea Jutson investigates Auckland's dirty little secret - the state of our public toilets.
Public conveniences, some say, are a matter of public pride. What does this say about Auckland, where locals will tell you that toilets are unsafe, unclean and only for the desperate. The region failed to rate in the national Best Loo competition, shamed by the likes of Kawakawa. And although our toilets cost nearly $5.5 million to maintain each year, many people don't know where to find them. Says one man, ``If you go up to anyone in the street and ask them where a public toilet is, they couldn't tell you.'' Half the 70 people surveyed for this story say they would use a public toilet - on a street, beach or in a park - only if they had no choice or were with small children. The vast majority prefer mall toilets. More people would rather stop at a fast-food restaurant or service station than use a council toilet. Just seven people said they would primarily use a street or park toilet when they're out in public. The same number wait until they get home. Safety is a big factor. In Auckland's older toilet blocks, it's hard to see inside, and there's always the fear of being followed, robbed or molested. But councils are fighting back, with modern stalls opening onto the street. Auckland City is flushing out crime with Novaloos, those curvy stainless-steel cubicles. After the council replaced one toilet in Sandringham, its water usage more than quadrupled. ``We thought we had a water leak,'' says streetscapes manager Daren Day. No, it was just that more people felt comfortable using the new facility. Iconic toilets at Grafton Bridge and Mt Eden have also become more user-friendly. Grafton Bridge, number one on our scariest toilet poll, now has fewer stalls and better visibility while keeping its heritage appearance. The old tram shelter toilets on Mt Eden Rd have swapped space for street entrances. ``It's better to provide a higher-quality, safer environment than quantity,'' says Mr Day. He'd far rather see queues than people feeling unsafe. Public transport workers pooh-pooh this reasoning. Stagecoach bus drivers say finding a convenient toilet can be a nightmare. ``I used to drink a lot of water when I started,'' says one. ``Not anymore.'' The Link, travelling the inner suburbs, is the route through hell, especially on a tight schedule. Taxi drivers also find their kidneys tested. A group of drivers outside Britomart said they would gladly pay 20c to spend a penny if there was a reliable place to do so. There is only one toilet outside Britomart station, servicing all the bus and taxi drivers. In rush-hour, they say, forget it. The plush toilets of Britomart itself close early on weekdays, as soon as the trains stop running. Several drivers also lament the closure of the toilets outside the ferry terminal. Frustrated, they would put up with more basic toilets just for the convenience. Keep NZ Beautiful's Barry Lucinsky agrees. The trust runs the Best Loo competition and Mr Lucinsky owns the KiwiLoo chain. ``We don't need elaborate edifices,'' he says. ``We've lost sight of the basics.'' Forget flash stadiums - focus on smaller amenities. Mr Lucinsky hopes to levy the tourism industry, so visitors can pay their way towards making this a truly clean, green country. Charging to use each toilet is not the answer, he says. People would just smash the locks. If the state of its toilets mirrors civic pride, things seem to be improving. Papakura's pride and joy is the new Exeloo at Roselands Mall. Costing between $80,000 and $90,000, it treats visitors to piped music, automatic toilet paper, soap and water, and even a voice dispensing advice. New toilets in the East and West, such as at Flat Bush and Piha, feature sculpted concrete and timber sympathetic to the surroundings. Toilets are slowly coming out of the shadows. As to cleanliness, people are what they are, but the CBD's toilets are cleaned four times a day. They are also checked frequently. Papakura's main toilets are cleaned at least twice a day. The town centre toilets in Waitakere are cleaned just once daily, with beach toilets cleaned twice a day - or once a week in winter. Still, they're always there when you need one.
Keeping council loos clean
Rodney: Toilets: 82. Cost: $795,000, excluding vandalism repairs. Best loo: Orewa Beach. North Shore: Toilets: 75. Cost: $700,000. Best loo: Unknown. Waitakere: Toilets: 63. Cost: $298,970, with energy-saving Ecoloos. Best loo: Piha. Auckland: Toilets: 188. Cost: approximately $2 million. Best loo: Britomart (run by Auckland Regional Transport Network Ltd). Manukau: Toilets: 95. Cost: $400,000. Best loo: Flat Bush wetlands. Papakura: Toilets: 24. Cost: $86,000. Best loo: Roselands. Franklin: Toilets: 53. Cost $537,000, including $120,000 to cover vandalism. Best loo: Hunua Falls (run by Auckland Regional Council). Auckland Regional Council: Toilets: 89. Cost: $400,000, including graffiti. Best loo: Hunua Falls.