Building public toilets is essential for a developing society. They meet a basic need in crowded places and protect the environment. So what criteria define a public toilet standard? The answer is below.
Public toilet standards - basic design principles
Public toilet standards are assessed on several factors, including:
Public toilet dimensions
A toilet must be at least 2.5 m². Depending on the conditions and location, it can be larger, from 4 m² to 11 m².
What is the standard size of a public toilet room?
A public toilet can be divided into stalls to meet demand. Each stall is normally about 2.5 m². Depending on the available area, contractors must build carefully to meet the standard.
The ceiling height must be at least 2.2 m. The washbasin is typically 82-85 cm above the floor, the shower valve 75-80 cm and the shower head 170-175 cm. Door sizes are typically 1.9 m x 0.68 m, 2.1 m x 0.82 m and 2.3 m x 1.02 m.
Environmental and construction requirements
- Public toilets must not be built in low-lying areas prone to flooding.
- Signs in Vietnamese and English must distinguish men’s and women’s toilets and be placed where they are easy to see.
- Where possible, provide at least one toilet for people with disabilities, accessible by wheelchair, with handrails on the approach.
- The mouth of the pit should be at least about 20 cm above the surrounding ground.
- The layout must prevent rainwater from flowing into the pit, and the pit must have a tight cover to avoid pollution.
- The toilet must have a roof that keeps out rain, and doors and surroundings must be properly screened and neatly finished.
Other requirements for public toilets
Besides size, landscape and surroundings, note the following standards:
- Build the toilet in a visible, convenient and safe place at least 10 m from public water sources.
- Provide pipes leading urinal waste to a tank and smooth-surfaced drainage channels.
- The septic tank must sit at least 200 mm above the ground.
- Lighting and ventilation must work effectively.
- Stall doors should leave a gap at the bottom.
- Add a pay-per-use cabin if the owner requires it. The fee is small, around VND 2,000 per use.
Attractive public toilet designs
Public toilets now come in many impressive designs, and different locations call for different layouts.
- U-shaped layout: suited to busy places and public services such as cinemas and supermarkets.
- L-shaped layout: usually designed for densely populated areas such as shopping streets and markets.
- I-shaped layout: usually built on small streets, with about 2-3 toilets per block.
Toilet designs keep improving, making these public facilities more attractive and adding to the look of the city. Below are some designs we would like to introduce.
To build a public toilet, you must follow the Ministry of Health’s regulations. The standard is made up of many factors, so keep the key information in this article in mind.
In line with today’s technology and rising expectations, smart public toilets have emerged as a smart option worth considering.
Vietnam Industrial and Urban Development JSC (ICD) supplies public toilet models for many projects nationwide. Contact us for advice and a detailed quotation for each product.
