WonderLOO - Street Urinals that WORK!
One of the biggest success stories of TUI campaign has been the successful installation and working of the WonderLOOs - the waterless, odorless, always clean street urinals that work 24/7!
Currently there are about 10 urinals that are in operation and TUI has mentioned of having plans to install many more in the near future.
 |
1. The 200ft wall crumbling belongs to the Military, and has no activity.
2. Due to car parking, low-hanging trees and a telephone pillar, there is lots of privacy.
3. Nobody objects to anyone urinating here, and there simply is NO OTHER OPTION.
4. Over a 100 people who work on this street urinate here everyday - several times a day
5. The whole place stinks, garbage collects here and it is a total eyesore
~TUI on FB
 |
| After- With wonderLOO! |
The Wonder-loo was installed on Jan 26, 2011.
It has worked well - beyond expectations .
1. The whole wall is clean, and doesn't smell.
2. Hundreds of people use this loo everyday, and the entire place is clean.
3. The loo is unmanned and FREE to use. The optimistic theory "If you offer urinators dignity, they will keep it clean" has worked. There IS hope.
4. There are no paan stains on the wall, no cigarette butts, and no spillage. The area has been transformed. The neighbours are elated.
5. There is NO water connection here. This is an innovative water-less urinal (any guesses how it works?)
6. The loo is cleaned every morning at 7am in a 'secret' operation - whenever users come there, it is clean, inviting and unmanned.
7. At nights, pub-goers, stand in line to use it:)
8. The Military (wall owner), BSNL (pillar owner), BBMP (footpath owner and sanitation-in-charge) and all nearby shopkeepers absolutely love this Wonder-loo. That is why it has survived for months now. With no security.
9. Go to Church Street and take a look! It is located opposite Shelton Grand Hotel (between Matteo and Mamamia icecreams/Indian Coffee House
~ TUI on FB
 |
| More WonderLOOs on Church Street (opp Coconut Grove) is inaugurated as part of the Treasure Hunt |
Some questions answered by TUI on FB about the WonderLOO
Q : Why WonderLOOs are not stolen?
A : WonderLOOs do not get stolen as there is no resale value for a urinal vessel. That's why one seen broken commodes and urinals lying about - the have no reuse or resale value:) ~ TUI
Q: How do you flush WonderLOOs?
A: Flushing is not required. Open-air toilets are well ventilated, and we ensure no stagnation of urine through daily cleaning. A 'urinal cake', some naphthalene balls, and some water/phenol once a day - and it can handle over 300 uses, without giving off any odor. Hard to believe - but there is chemistry at work here. Urine gives off an odor (ammonia) only when exposed to sunlight - if you ensure liquid flow through cleaning there is no odor at all. Our Church Street loos are outside some pubs and have seen heavy usage the past 11 months - they are cleaned just once every morning. ~ TUI
Q: How do you maintain WonderLOO?
A: By a paid professional 7 days a week every morning. The WonderLOO on Church Street has operated everyday without a break since Jan 26, 2010 and provides relief and dignity to over 300 people per day. It is free to the user, and hundreds of people who work on MG Road walk to Church St everyday to use them. Most people assume it is operated by the BBMP as the WonderLOO is anonymous (no names, nobody sees the cleaning process at 8am everyday). It helps enhance the status of the street (& Bangalore) by offering a well-maintained and clean urinal for free. ~ TUI
 |
| Deccan Herald has an incisive article on the pathetic state of public loos in Bangalore - and suggests that WonderLOOs are a ray of hope! |
Write to theuglyindian@gmail.com if you have questions about the WonderLOO and if you want to know how you can contribute.
