A new survey being conducted by Plumbing Connection magazine sets out to solve the age old mystery of why women are always queuing up to use the toilet, while examining health issues related to skin contact with toilet seats.

There is more to the issue of female restroom queues than the waiting time. These issues are in fact many and varied and include health concerns with regard to soiled toilet seats and over use.

So what can be done about the problem to reduce waiting times, skin contact with toilet seats and minimise potential health risks? Many women are uncomfortable with their skin making contact with toilet seats in public restrooms, given the communal nature of these facilities. Therefore, many will try to suppress their need to urinate and wait until they reach their own bathroom or a comfortable alternative – which has proven to result in health problems.

The call for female urinals is nothing new. Several prototypes have been developed around the world, but to this point in time, none have been successfully introduced. See photos.

In the late 1990s, German researchers developed prototypes for a female urinal. They were not widely accepted, however some can still be found in gyms and bars. In 1997, the Dutch followed suit and created a urinal known as the Lady Pee, which of all things utilises a funnel to aid in aim. In London, they became common in nightclubs.

However, German research found that women didn’t really take to the idea of standing up to pee. In fact the word ‘urinal’ was found to be offensive and their urinal prototypes were soon forgotten. Europeans are still looking for an answer.

In Australia, it is common to see women queuing for the toilet at sporting events, concerts or theatre engagements. Let’s face it, when you miss the start of a quarter of football it can be considered as downright un-Australian.

The purpose of the survey is to gather information that will hopefully place women’s minds at ease with regard to health when using the restroom. Proper solutions could in fact change the mindset of delaying toilet use until you feel comfortable. As discussed, delaying the call of nature can cause internal problems.

We want women to use public restrooms as quickly as possible. We want them seated in stadiums and theatres so they don’t have to miss the beginning of a game or curtain call.

A space-saving urinal for women, which allows urinating in a comfortable position without any skin contact on the toilet itself, may be an option for public toilets in the future. And it might help reduce some of those long lines outside public restrooms.
This survey aims to find out women’s attitudes to using public restrooms and will only take you a couple of minutes to complete.

To participate in the survey please click the link on the home page of www.worldplumbinginfo.com.

We thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey by Plumbing Connection magazine, a leading Australian technical journal.

Your answers will remain completely anonymous and are for the purpose of data collection and analysis for Plumbing Connection magazine research only.