Spate of toilet vandalism in Taranaki towns pushes repair bill to $45k

Broken fittings and torn paper litter the floor of a vandalised public toilet in the New Plymouth district.

Vandals have targeted public toilets in Waitara, Urenui and Inglewood over the past week, as New Plymouth District Council’s repair bill for damaged facilities climbs to $45,000 this year.

The bill is up from $25,000 at the same point last year.

A photo released by the council showed one toilet floor covered in large shards of smashed white panelling and shredded paper towels.

A grey bin had been knocked on its side, its blue lid lying nearby, and a round white fitting lay broken in the middle of the floor.

The stainless steel toilet and basin appeared to have survived intact.

A council spokesperson said the damage was hitting residents in the pocket.

“Public toilet vandalism is costing our community thousands,” the spokesperson said.

Waitara and Urenui sit on the coast north-east of New Plymouth, while Inglewood is inland to the south-east, on State Highway 3.

SHARE ME

More Stories