Rising Demand For Touchless Bathroom Fixtures Give Local Plumbers Hope For Better Days Ahead

DALY CITY (KPIX 5) -- It's pretty difficult these days to find an open public restroom. But there's a movement now to exchange all of the fixtures. When that's done, it's believed that these restrooms will be much safer.

Westlake Shopping Center in Daly City, which stretches for nearly 40 acres, has 98 businesses, is going all-touchless in its public restrooms.

"They don't have to touch anything! Either toilets, either faucets or soap dispensers, nothing," said Westlake Kimco Reality Facilities Engineer Marlon Bautista.

The new demand for touchless fixtures couldn't have come sooner, says plumbing contractor Paul Rowe. "Any business is going to be worried because we have no idea what's going to happen," said Rowe. "But, I did feel comfortable being a plumbing contractor that we were going to have work."

Paul's company has re-focused, finding new work with proximity sensor fixtures because dozens of handle faucets are coming out. Proximity sensor faucets have special battery-powered control modules that should last for two years, depending on usage.

It's not just Westlake Shopping Center making the move. Rowe believes the switch is going nationwide. "Our supplier has had a hard time providing us with the quantity of that we need and I think that's because the whole nation needs these touchless sensor fixtures. The supply is going to have to catch up with demand."

Soap, paper towels, and everything else are all going automated.

A lot of folks are shopping for food or getting take-out at Westlake, but the facilities engineer says public restrooms will remain closed until the upgrades are completed, and that depends on how soon the additional proximity sensor fixtures arrive.