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"Free Pipi" in public toilets in Paris

Tuesday, 07 February 2006

"Free Pipi" in Paris

As from 1st of February it will no longer cost the usual 40 centimes to use the public toilets (sanisettes) in Paris.

Some automatic-cleaning sanisettes are already free and all 420 will cost the user nothing to use as from the 15th of this Ferbruary.

One of the main reasons for this scheme is to help the homeless, who do not have enough money to pay for this service. Tourists can afford the small fee.

This move should now stop people urinating in the street. Anyone caught will now have no excuse and face fines of 183 € up to 450 € for repeat offences.

Although the City Council will now have to pay the maintenance of the public lavatories, they will save on street-cleaning and have more hygienic streets. As one of the world's top destination with approximately 75 million tourists visiting France in 2005, Paris wants to uphold its' image.

The only public toilets not in this scheme are those in train stations as they are not managed by the Parisian City Council.

This is just the first step in the complete overhaul of public toilets set to be finished by 2014.

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