Toilet concept for Leipzig: Sanitary emergency should have an end!

Toilet concept for Leipzig: Sanitary emergency should have an end!

The pressure on the city of Leipzig to modernize its sanitary facilities and protect against vandalism grows. According to the reports of TAG24 , the toilet situation in the city has angered many citizens. In the past, access to public toilets has often been lengthy, and the existing systems are often vandalized and smiled with graffiti. The population has clearly expressed their desire for better sanitary facilities.

Mayor Heiko Rosenthal (left) therefore presented a new concept for the toilet infrastructure three months ago. This provides for up to ten new public toilets to be created, which are to be put into operation in several locations in the city until a maximum of 2026. A total budget of 588,000 euros is planned for the new facilities, which can be used barrier-free and free of charge, such as mdr

vandalism as a costly problem

vandalism in public sanitary facilities is a widespread problem that occurs not only in Leipzig, but also in other cities. Damage can cause high repair costs, which are often in the five-digit range, such as the IHK . However, there are no binding regulations against vandalistic actions, which further complicates the problem.

Aktuell in the Lene Voigt Park has been running pilot projects with new dry-cutting toilets since December 2023. These have proven to be relatively clean and recorded 4000 uses per month with little vandalism. Nevertheless, a citizen reported on extremely dirty toilets and vandalism with damage to a fire.

Part of Rosenthal's concept is to take into account mobility and flexibility, which is why the city plans to conclude up to 20 cooperation contracts with external providers. Locations in the city center and in popular green areas, such as the Clara-Zetkin-Park and the Rabet district park, are also planned to meet the needs of the residents and visitors.

technical measures for prevention

In order to reduce vandalism, planners and architects rely on technical guidelines and recommendations. According to VDI guidelines, robust materials such as stainless steel and special construction methods are to be used to minimize the attack areas for vandals. In addition, simple measures such as the disposal of train rod and drainage sets are recommended to reduce possible damage.

The Greens in the Neustadt also recognized the problem and announced a pilot test for the summer of 2026 to further improve the situation. In view of the high need for public toilets, it is necessary to pursue both technical solutions and broad public relations work in order to promote respect for these institutions.