The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) marked World Toilet Day last week (19 November) by reminding people of the value of having access to safe bathroom facilities.
State Building Surveyor at the VBA, Andrew Cialini said the Day, created by the United Nations (UN), raised awareness of the 3.6 billion people who lived without access to safely managed sanitation.
“Being able to use the toilet when we need to is something many of us take for granted; this is an opportunity to remind consumers to value the access we have to systems that not only keep us comfortable, but keep us safe and well,” Mr Cialini said.
“The UN states that when some people in a community do not have safe toilets, everyone’s health is threatened,” he said.
“Poor sanitation contaminates drinking-water sources, rivers, beaches and food crops, spreading deadly diseases among the wider population.”
Mr Cialini said the Day also highlighted the importance of having a professional plumber install home toilets to keep people safe and well.
The State Building Surveyor said that, in Victoria, all home-made, self-installed or non-compliant sanitary toileting products were illegal, posed a health risk to the community and should be removed immediately.
“If you need to get a broken toilet fixed, or a new one installed, you must use an appropriately registered and licensed plumber; doing it yourself can pose dangers,” he said.
“Sewage can contaminate the drinking water supply through backflow or back-siphonage, causing infections, diarrhoea or other health problems,” Mr Cialini said.
