San Diego recently closed 13 public restrooms in Mission Bay, but they will reopen due to public outcry. However, this issue is far from solved, as other areas of the city still lack sufficient public restroom access.

Sanitation Deserts

Researchers from the Project for Sanitation Justice at San Diego State University have been mapping public restrooms across the county, identifying areas with insufficient access as ‘sanitation deserts.’ They found that only half of the 18 cities in San Diego County provide public information on restroom locations, and some cities, like San Diego, provide inaccurate information.

The lack of public restrooms has serious health implications, as seen in the 2017-2018 hepatitis A outbreak that killed 20 people and sickened nearly 600. Despite this, the city has not taken adequate measures to address the issue, with funding for porta-potties and handwashing stations being cut.

The researchers are calling on the community to join their mapping efforts and help track public restroom access. They aim to ensure that their web map is accurate and to show city leaders that the community cares about public health and human dignity.

Original reporting: Voice of San Diego — read the source article.