Smart toilets installed at three Brussels squares
Brussels has installed three new self-cleaning public toilets, replacing outdated facilities. The city now has 13 public toilets and 22 urinals.
The cubicles have an automatic flushing system, a self-cleaning mechanism that washes and dries the floor and walls after each use, and a touch-free sink. A control device immediately reports incidents to a control centre. The facilities also have low water consumption.
The new facilities replace the old toilets at Place Anneessens and Square Marguerite Duras in the city centre, while a new toilet has been installed in Square Marguerite in the European quarter.
Each toilet cost 150,000 euros. The facility in Square Marguerite was largely financed by the participatory budget of the European quarter, where locals had been calling for provision for several years.
"Public toilets provide basic hygiene for everyone who uses our public spaces"
According to Anas Ben Abdelmoumen of PS, the city councillor responsible for public cleanliness, the facilities contribute to a cleaner and more inclusive public space. “Public toilets provide basic hygiene for everyone who uses our public spaces and help to combat public urination,” he said.
The City of Brussels is the only municipality in the capital region to manage its own public toilets, all of which are free. Further facilities are due to be installed this year and next year, including at Place Bockstael and the Atomium.
The “welcoming toilets” network also provides free access to toilets in more than 50 bars, restaurants and shops in the city with no obligation to buy anything, through a municipal subsidy of 1,000 euros a year.
The new public toilets at Place Anneessens in Brussels © PHOTO CABINET ANAS BEN ABDELMOUMEN
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