State and federal laws regulate public restrooms.
The Portland State University Master of Urban and Regional Planning Program defines a public restroom as a facility that is, "open and accessible to everyone without restrictions." The group lists libraries, park facilities, and any building open to the public as a public-access bathroom. Semi-public restrooms include facilities open to customers of a mall, shop or store, or toilets that requiring an access code or key to enter. Portable toilets are also classified as a public restroom, according to the Planning Program.
Plumbing Codes
International and national plumbing codes offer recommendations for localities for use as models in building toilet facilities.The National Standard Plumbing Code, the Uniform , and the International Plumbing Code all offer suggestions for restroom construction. These agencies issue recommendations for fixtures, directional signage to guide the public to restroom facilities, construction for special needs users, safety standards for restrooms and height for appliances and fixtures. Code suggestions also include height and construction of privacy walls and partitions for toilets and urinals.
Availability
Public restrooms, according to the Portland State University Master of Urban and Regional Planning Program, may be in either an exterior or interior location. The American Restroom Association reports that state and local building codes mandate toilet construction, but the exact requirements vary with individual laws. An availability problem does exist across all building codes: The male to female public toilet codes mean equal number of toilets in construction. The American Restroom Association reports that "potty parity" requires twice the number of public toilets available for women compared to men, due to the required extra time women take for necessary access and for use by mothers with children.
Access
Access to public restrooms is regulated under the Americans with Disability Act, also known as ADA, that lists separate categories for accommodations. The groupings include restaurants, stores, hotels, museums and schools. Regulations apply to publicly and privately owned facilities. The law states that: "Physical barriers in existing places of public accommodation must be removed if readily achievable" for existing construction. If the method to provide access is not "readily achievable," the establishment must provide alternative services, according to the regulations. New construction must meet or exceed access standards. The Illinois ADA Project reports that any remodeling project must meet standards for new construction.
Fees
Charging an access fee for public restrooms creates controversies in some communities. Federal agencies allow localities the option of pay toilet facilities, but yearly conferences such as the World Toilet Summit publicize the need for free access to public toilets to encourage personal sanitation and sound health practices. New York City outlawed pay toilets in the city in 1975 on the basis of sexual discrimination, according to the American Restroom Association. The court ruling determined women required a stall, while men could use the facilities located in the free access portion of the restroom. Other cities followed New York's lead during the 1970s.
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