SMU survey: If public toilets could be ensured to be clean and hygienic, nearly half of the public would be willing to pay to use them

SMU's "Project Waterloo" study, conducted from August to September 2023 with 4,905 participants, revealed findings on December 23. The study rated food establishment toilets in Sembawang, Rochor, and Pioneer as the dirtiest nationwide. For the first time, the survey also explored attitudes towards paying for toilet use, with 40% of 4,906 respondents willing to pay 50 cents or more. Lead researcher and SMU Lecturer of Statistics Rosie Ching commented: “I’ve been conducting this study for nearly a decade, yet dirty public toilets continue to affect us. As 2024 is the Year of Public Health, how much longer will it take for Singapore to make meaningful improvements to public toilet cleanliness?”