Since Beijing stopped collecting fees at public restrooms a few
years ago, construction and maintenance of public toilets has
become a real pain in the…neck…for district governments.
But the capital's Fengtai District government decided to solve
the problem by seeking investors who recognized the previously
unrealized potential of public powder rooms.
Two companies won their bids to build and manage 50 Grade A
public restrooms situated on major streets and roads in the
district. The new buildings will all have three levels, with the
partial basement and a section of the ground floor designated as
restrooms and the remainder put to commercial use.
Commercial advertising is now also permitted in the toilet
area.
The new facilities, each with floor space of at least 450 square
meters, should be up and running by November this year.
The investors, Beijing Zhongbaojie Environmental Equipment and
Technology Co. and Beijing Jintaocheng Investment Management Co.,
enjoy the use rights to these toilets for a contracted period of
time.
Management of a public restroom, which requires at least two
maintenance people, utilities and daily upkeep, costs no less than
40,000 yuan ($4,819) a year.
Estimated construction costs for the new three-level
public/commercial hybrid facilities are around 800,000 yuan
(aboutUS$96,386).
(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2004)