The District of Columbia has taken steps to address the shortage of public restrooms with the DC Public Restroom Pilot Program. The program will run from March through September 2024, with the potential to extend.
The pilot will be implemented in partnership with Throne Labs (“Throne”), a DC-area startup that has developed a twenty-first century approach to the public restroom. Thrones use technology and behavioral science to stay clean and deter misuse. Cleaning and maintenance is informed by data from 21 smart sensors and real time cleanliness ratings from users. The smart bathrooms create accountability and are equipped with anti-loitering technology. Thrones have served more than 93,000 bathroom uses in locations as diverse as suburban Maryland parks and transit stations in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles.
Five priority areas have been identified for the pilot based on recommendations of the DC Public Restrooms Working Group (Downtown DC, Dupont Circle, H St. NE, Columbia Heights and Oxon Run Park), but locations are not final and additional Thrones may be available based on community demand.