New public toilet shuts down briefly over weekend

Days after San Francisco officials unveiled a new and sleek public toilet at the Embarcadero Plaza on Wednesday, the futuristic commode suffered technical problems that resulted in a temporary closure, officials said.

The toilet was closed for approximately two hours over the weekend during its 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. business hours, said Beth Rubenstein, deputy director of policy and communications for the Public Works Department.

“As expected with a new mechanical system, there will be small technical adjustments during this early usage period,” Rubenstein

told The Chronicle in a statement Monday. She did not describe the nature of the mishap.

SFist first reported that the toilet broke down just days after it debuted.

She added that JCDecaux, the street furniture and advertising company that partnered with the city on the toilets, has technicians on standby to troubleshoot problems “as quickly as possible.”

The toilet at Embarcadero Plaza is one of 25 that are set to be installed in the next few years to replace the Parisian-style loos found throughout the city.

Since its unveiling on Wednesday, the toilet has been used approximately 400 times, with residents and tourists giving the toilet “positive reviews,” said Rubenstein.