STANDARDISED:Besides basic criteria, the checklist will include sub-components of which the total score will determine the toilet’s star ratings.
EVER wondered how our public toilets are rated? According to the Housing and Local Government Ministry, the toilets are inspected against a checklist which includes basic criteria such as surroundings, maintenance, sanitising equipment (including handwash dispenser), signage, and cleaning progress.
Under these criteria are sub-components which contribute points to the overall score. They include water supply, septic tank, ventilation, lighting as well the condition of toilet bowls and urinals (see right).
Each component contributes between one and three points, and the total score will determine the star rating for the audited toilet.
Subang Jaya Municipal Council health director Dr Roslan Mohamed Hussin said the council would also adopt the new guidelines by the ministry in auditing public toilets in the municipality.
"They include petrol stations, restaurants, government buildings, schools and shopping malls.
"Before this, we used our checklist that gave three-star ratings to those which scored 80 points and above. With the new checklist from the ministry, all local authorities will now have a standardised checklist to audit public toilets in each municipality."
He said a majority of the 1,487 public toilets in Subang Jaya checked by his department last year were rated two stars.
Streets recently carried an article about the conditions of public toilets after random checks at bus terminals, LRT, Monorail stations and public parks.
We found that most of the toilets needed improvement.
The Housing and Local Government Ministry had in November last year revealed that half of the 554 toilets inspected by respective local authorities were found to be dirty and not well maintained.
They were given ratings between 1 and 5, with those found dirty given only 1 or 2 stars.
The Ministry's Local Government Department was reported to have come up with a standard guideline for all local councils on how to maintain public toilets as currently the councils adopted different measures for the upkeep of the facilities.
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