Waterford's public toilets cost €225,000 but only generate €5,000 from people 'spending a penny'
The public toilets at Clonea were reconstructed in 2012/2013 at a cost of €240,095
Waterford City and County Council spent over €225,000 on public toilets last year but the revenue generated from people "spending a penny" only came to just over €5,000.
A Freedom of Information request by Waterford Live has revealed that the 2018 budget for the public toilets in Waterford City and County was €228,500.
The cost of operating and maintaining the public toilets for last year was €225,500.
In response to the FOI request, the Council said: "These costs relate to the rental of one of the public toilets at The Quay in Waterford City and the maintenance of all of the other public toilets in the county and in The People’s Park in Waterford City.
"The 2019 budget for the public toilets is €200,283. The maintenance costs include the opening and closing of the public toilets, costs associated with Security Company collecting money from the public toilets in Waterford City, cleaning of toilets, any repair works, painting, materials for cleaning toilets, soap dispensers, toilet paper etc.
"There are only two revenue generating public toilets and both of these are located in Waterford City (The People’s Park and on The Quay).
"The total income generated from these in 2018 was €5,267.72."
The local authority operates and maintains 17 public toilets across the county and two in Waterford City.
The public toilets are located in the following locations:
Lismore - Open all year round
Kilmacthomas - Open all year round
Tallow - Open all year round
Stradbally - Open during bathing season
Bonmahon - Open during bathing season
Boatstrand - Open during bathing season
Ardmore - Open all year round
Ballyquinn - Open during bathing season
Helvick - Open all year round
Ballinagoul - Open during bathing season
Newtown Cove & Guillamene - Open during bathing season
Dunmore East - Open all year round
Tramore The Prom - Open all year round
Tramore The Arcade - Open during bathing season
Clonea - Open during bathing season
Passage East - Open during bathing season
Woodstown - Open during bathing season
The People’s Park, Waterford - Open all year round
The Quay, Waterford - Open all year round
The public toilets at Clonea were reconstructed in 2012/2013 at a cost of €240,095.