Could the Toilet Problem in India Happen in New York City?

There is a toilet problem in India that has been in the press for the last few years. Many people wonder if the same issue could occur in New York City. Here, we explain India’s toilet problem and explore why rethinking public restrooms is a smart idea, even if we aren’t at as much risk as India.

What Is India’s Toilet Problem?

Lack of available toilets and plumbing infrastructure

Millions of people in India, especially in rural areas, do not have toilets in their homes. Therefore, they defecate in public, usually in fields, low-lying waterways, beaches, and the like.

In fact, India really has two toilet problems: there are not enough toilets, nor is there adequate plumbing infrastructure to support them. It’s not enough to encourage people to add a toilet to the home. Without plumbing for water, adequate sewage lines, and wastewater treatment plants, there’s no way to make toilets operational.

Why Is the Toilet Problem in India So Dangerous?

Health concerns and more

Of course, public defecation brings with it a host of health dangers. Human feces carry bacteria and viruses, including coronavirus, cholera, typhoid, polio, and hepatitis A. When it rains or when defecation occurs in rivers, canals, and streams, these pathogens can be spread, which can also happen when livestock and other animals come in contact with human refuse. Feces attract insects and vermin that further disseminate disease.

This isn’t merely a nuisance for residents of India. Children are particularly susceptible to gastrointestinal disease caused by exposure to germs in feces. The resulting diarrhea is the largest cause of death globally in children under five. It’s estimated that there are more than 125,000 deaths annually among people of all ages in India due to diarrheal diseases.

In addition to the risk of disease, the toilet problem in India has presented other issues. Privacy is a concern for many who must defecate in public, so they try to do so at night, which poses safety issues for women who go out alone or in small groups. Additionally, having unpleasant odors outdoors is another problem facing the nation.

How Has India Addressed Its Toilet Problem?

Multipronged approach

Improving sanitation in a country of over one billion people is no easy task. During the last decade, India’s government has spent over $30 billion providing toilets in needy areas. Because of both cultural issues surrounding cleanliness and the lack of plumbing and sewage infrastructure, the toilets have largely been built outside, similar to portable toilets or outhouses used in the United States.

A campaign was also implemented to encourage the use of the toilets. Bollywood even created a film, Toilet: A Love Story, to give a human face to the problem by telling the tale of a couple whose romantic life improved once one partner provided a toilet for the other.

While the country has seen a decrease in public defecation, there are still hurdles. Some people still believe defecating outdoors is cleaner than using a toilet, especially when indoor toilets are just a hole in the ground or aren’t maintained properly, sometimes due to a water shortage. And some citizens pocket money meant for toilet building. Others use the toilets as storage in an overpopulated country desperate for space. In other cases, there are too few toilets for too many local inhabitants, or people have to pay to use them, which they can’t or won’t do.

Is New York City at Risk of Developing a Toilet Problem?

The history of public restrooms

While New York City clearly has better toilet infrastructure, as well as cultural barriers against public defecation, some people are worried a toilet problem similar to what’s going on in India could become more of an issue here. To discuss that, let’s first look at the development of public restrooms in the city.

Although there have been some communal bathrooms available since the 19th century, America never really followed the model set by Europe for public restrooms. Even around 1900, New Yorkers complained about the lack of public toilets, and at that time, fewer people had flush toilets in their homes. Public facilities were considered a waste of money throughout the 20th century, and the only place where public bathrooms were increased was along major highways as automobile rest stops.

Public restroom availability today

Fast forward to the New York of today. Real estate square footage is at a premium, and few property owners want to devote any to public toilets. Restrooms that exist in places like the subway system are frequently nonfunctional or closed entirely. Business owners usually require people who want to use their bathrooms to make a purchase there.

With an uptick in habitation and an increase in homeless and vagrant populations, the city is seeing more public urination and defecation than ever before. In fact, the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) has recently had to make it officially illegal to relieve oneself on public transit, as this was becoming a default bathroom of choice.

San Francisco’s sanitation situation

Even more so than New York, San Francisco has been at the forefront of media attention about its public defecation problem, which has resulted in complaints about everything from odors to a drop in tourism. A range of solutions has been implemented or proposed:

  • Keep existing public bathrooms open 24 hours a day, and make sure they’re properly maintained.
  • Build new public bathrooms (required downtown in some spaces already).
  • Give tax breaks to businesses that allow the public to use their restrooms.
  • Ask businesses that allow non-paying visitors to use their bathrooms to display window signs advertising this.
  • Create more pop-up restrooms in conjunction with other public health campaigns, such as needle exchange programs.
  • Encourage businesses like “Airpnp,” a bathroom version similar to the Airbnb homestay app.
  • Improve sanitation of sidewalks and curbs where public defecation still exists.

Rethinking the bathroom and toilet in 2021

Clearly, some of the suggestions for San Francisco could be applied to New York City too. However, these talks need to take place within the larger framework of completely rethinking public bathrooms in light of Covid and other recent health concerns. Rather than simply building more bathrooms, we should be considering how to construct more high-tech, self-cleaning restrooms that are easier to keep open and discourage the spread of germs, so people will use them.

Whether you’re adding a public bathroom in your building, redoing your restrooms, or upgrading the toilet in your private residence, Sanitary Plumbing is here to help. Call us at 212-734-5000, or reach out online to schedule an appointment at your convenience.


Our Privacy Policy

Omnia Mechanical Group(the “Company”) strives to ensure the highest standards for property listings and customer information privacy. Please review the following statement to learn about our company practices and policies. Please be aware that our Privacy Policy is subject to change at any time.

1. Purpose.

This Privacy Policy (“the Policy”) provides information on how the Company uses your personal information. By agreeing to the Policy, you agree to our collection and use of your personal information as described in the Policy. This Privacy Policy is effective for all new users of Sanitaryplumbing.com.

2. Personal Information.

You can browse some areas of omniagroup.nyc (“the Website”) without being a registered user. However, certain activities do require registration. (You consent to the transfer and storage of your information by registering with omniagroup.nyc).

3. Use of Information.

Our primary purpose in collecting personal information is to provide you with a safe and user-friendly experience. For example, the Company may use your personal information to:

  • Improve our services and the Website’s content and layout;
  • Provide the services and necessary customer support you request;
  • Resolve disputes, collect fees, and troubleshoot problems;
  • Track and record customer satisfaction with our services;
  • Protect the Company against error and fraud;
  • Inform you of special promotions and announcements;
  • Enforce our agreements, terms, conditions, and policies; and
  • As otherwise described to you at the time of collection.

We may occasionally ask you to complete optional surveys. These surveys are used to improve and customize your experience with Sanitaryplumbing.com.

The Company always provides you the ability to opt-out of further communication such as promotions and surveys; see the Opt-Out section below.

The Company does not share any of your personal information with outside organizations, companies, individuals, etc. The only exception to this standard is if such a disclosure is reasonably necessary to respond to any and all legal processes.

4. Links to Other Sites.

The Website may have links to other websites that may collect personally identifiable information about you. The Company is not responsible for the privacy practices of the content of those linked websites.

5. Safety & Security Precautions.

The Website has strict security measures in place to protect you and your information from fraud. Once your information is provided to Omnia Mechanical Group, we strive to ensure the confidentiality of your identity and information.

6. Opt-Out.

The Company provides you with the opportunity to opt-out of receiving promotional and other non-essential, marketing-related communications from Omnia Mechanical Group. If you would like to opt-out of these select communications, please see any of the Company’s email communications and follow the directions indicated.

7. Account Protection.

Your password ensures the security of your account. When choosing a password, the Company suggests using various characters. It is highly recommended that you do not disclose your Sanitaryplumbing.com password to anyone. (If you do disclose your password or your personal information with others, you are responsible for all actions taken in the name of your account.) If the security of your password is compromised for any reason, please contact the Company immediately.

8. Accuracy of Information

The Company does not guarantee the accuracy of information for any and all of its properties on the Website, and is not responsible for any errors or misrepresentations (made by Renters, the Client, or otherwise).

9. Cookies

The Company may place a small cookie on your computer’s hard drive. This allows us to personalize your use on the Website. In order to maximize the functionality and usability of the Website, you must set your browser’s preferences to allow both permanent and temporary cookies.

10. Changing Your Personal Information.

Should your personal information change, please immediately update your information on the Website. This will ensure the accuracy of our records. The Company does retain personal information from closed accounts in order to comply with law and collect and disburse any fees owed.

11. Third Parties

This Privacy Policy addresses only the use of information we collect from you. Since omniagroup.nyc does not control the privacy policies of third parties, you are subject to the privacy policies of those third parties. It is advisable that you consult with the management of third parties before you disclose your personal information to others.

12. General

We may amend this Privacy Policy at any time by posting the amended terms on the Website. All amended terms are immediately effective after they are initially posted on the Website.

13. Privacy Policy Questions & Concerns

Questions and/or concerns regarding the Policy should be emailed to the following email address: info@omniagroup.nyc.