Photo: China Central Television

Following a report by China Central Television (CCTV) on the issue of rural public restrooms in Shanxi's Jishan county remaining inaccessible to villagers, the Jishan government launched an on-site investigation and confirmed the accuracy of the report and the existence of such problems, Jishan government said on Monday.

In response, they convened an emergency meeting to address the issue, initiating a comprehensive inspection of all rural public restroom usage and management across the county. Measures were ordered to ensure proper implementation of long-term management mechanisms—covering funding, personnel, and oversight systems—to guarantee that public facilities remain open and functional. Meanwhile, the county's disciplinary and supervisory commission has launched a formal investigation to hold accountable those responsible for dereliction of duty, said the government. 

Some villages in North China's Shanxi Province reportedly locked newly built public toilets while opened them only when officials came to inspect, China Central Television (CCTV) revealed. 

Caijing Diaocha, an investigative program under CCTV, received a tip-off from residents in Shanxi villages about a newly built public toilet—constructed with significant funding—had remained locked and unused for years, becoming what villagers described as "nice to look at but useless." While the brand-new facility remained closed, residents were forced to keep using the old, dirty, and poorly maintained pit latrines.

Videos submitted by residents to the program show public restrooms with thoughtful designs and locations conveniently located near areas of daily village activity. From a planning perspective, these facilities clearly considered local needs. 

Strangely, these new public toilets remained closed to villagers for years.

In 2021, an action plan released by the Chinese government called for reasonable planning and layout of rural public restrooms, accelerating the construction of toilets in rural tourist areas, implementing clear management responsibilities, and strengthening daily sanitation and maintenance.

In recent years, significant progress has been made in building rural public restrooms. In many villages, clean, well-equipped facilities have replaced the old, dirty, and poorly maintained ones. 

When the CCTV reporter visited to Jishan county in Shanxi's Yuncheng city to investigate, many local villagers said that while new public restrooms have indeed been built in recent years—appearing clean and well-equipped—they are rarely used. Some of the facilities, they said, have never even been opened to the public.

However, less than 100 meters from these locked, brand-new public restrooms, the pungent stench of pit latrines fills the air.

The reporter observed that the new public restrooms were well-lit and clean, equipped with a full set of cleaning tools. Clear daily maintenance guidelines were posted on the walls. Footprints on the floor and traces of used toiletries indicated the facilities had indeed been used. It was evident that these restrooms had been put into operation.

In January this year, the official social media account of Shanxi's Jishan country government, released a video highlighting local rural development. The footage specifically showed the doors of newly built public restrooms wide open—indicating they had been completed and were ready for use.

However, the CCTV reporter noticed the restroom was closed when came to visit Jishan. 

Government employees from Jijiacun village in Jishan also showed reporters to the new public restrooms. The CCTV reported that the new restrooms are not open to the public unless there are vilage activities. 

The government employee told the reporter that the restrooms were kept closed to avoid the trouble of daily cleaning, and that those who use the toilets are expected to clean them afterward. 

The CCTV reporter found public information from government service procurement platform showing that the contract for the 2023 Jishan County Rural Toilet Revolution listed the Jishan County Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs as the purchaser. The contract amount was 2.3028 million yuan ($317,660), with plans to build 23 new public restrooms, funded by government finances.

However, the bureau failed to provide the reporter with a clear answer about where those 23 public restrooms are. When visiting a village in Jishan, an employee from a service center said there's a toilet that belongs to the 23 public toilets had never been opened since its completion.

When the reporter requested access to the newly built public restroom, the staff declined, claiming they did not have the key.

Inside, the facility was fully equipped with brand-new amenities. However, due to concerns over high operating costs and potential maintenance issues stemming from what officials described as low public awareness or usage habits, the village has opted to keep residents using the old, unsanitary pit latrines.

Similar situation was also found in other villages. 

Global Times