Australia's first hydraulic pop-up urinal has arrived to everyone's relief

 By 
Johnny Lieu
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Like many drinkers on the weekend, you might find yourself busting for a pee but conscious of doing it on the street. Fear no more, if you're in Australia.

Perth City Council has unleashed what's believed to be the country's first pop-up urinal in the city's suburb of Northbridge, according to Seven News. It will appear on Friday and Saturday evenings for the late-night crowd and then tuck away underground during the day.

Costing A$175,000 (US$124,381) to install, the Urilift is a self-cleaning urinal that is available in many European cities, although the Perth City Council is looking to measure the success of this first unit before considering installing others.

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));7 NewsThe first pop up urinal in Australia has been installed in Northbridge at a cost of $175 000. STORY: http://yhoo.it/1LrfCSB#7NewsPosted by 7 News Perth on Tuesday, 16 February 2016

Three men can use the urinal "in complete privacy" at the same time, according to the distributor's website. The purpose of the pop-up is to minimise vandalism and to maintain a clean look on city streets, with an operator required to hydraulically lower the urinal with a remote, taking around two minutes to complete.

"It’s just not appropriate to slip into a laneway or hideaway and do a wee under a tree these days," Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi told Channel Seven. "We've got to consider everyone else and the hygiene of the city."

The pop-up urinal has been under consideration by the city's council since 2012. The City of Sydney has also been thinking about it, although there has been some disagreement over the options for women and hand hygiene issues.

A welcome relief, for those who think they've broken the seal.

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!