What Say You? Lewiston Set to Install Public Restrooms Citywide

So this has topic has been thrown around and discussed before. Back in April of 2023 the City of Lewiston was considering placing public restrooms in response to complaints from businesses and now it looks like it’s happening, according to the Sun Journal.

The installation of public restrooms in Lewiston is driven by the persistent issue of public urination and defecation, as well as the overall lack of facilities for the public.

The City Council approved the initiative in different locations around downtown and city parks.

The bathrooms are said to be coming this fall and will be installed at the following places: Oak Street Garage, Lincoln Street, Simard-Payne Memorial, Sunnyside, Pettingill School, Lionel Potvin, and Mike McGraw parks, as per the article. 

According to the article, there will be seven public restrooms and the budget is $350,000 for installation. Each year it will cost $84,000 yearly for maintenance.

How do you feel about this installation? Do you think we need it?

The article goes on to say that the bathrooms will not have any running water but will have hand sanitizer and toilet paper. A sharps box will also be installed within the restrooms.

According to the FDA, a sharps box, "also known as a sharps container or sharps bin, is a specialized waste container designed to safely collect and store used sharp objects, or "sharps", such a needles, syringes, lancets, and scalpels."

The official folks of Lewiston are really hoping that adding these bathrooms is going to address the issue of consistent public urination and defecation in the downtown area.