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Resident urges Newton to upgrade Washington Road Park restrooms after tournament backups; staff finds buried cleanouts
Summary
A lifelong resident and tournament organizer told the commission that toilets at Washington Road Park overflowed during a recent tournament. City staff reported they uncovered two buried cleanouts, installed meter-box lids, and said they will coordinate further work and place facility replacement on the Public Building Commission's radar.
Ernie Lujano, a lifelong Newton resident and tournament director, told the Newton City Commission the public restrooms at Washington Road Park repeatedly backed up during a July Fourth tournament and described the facilities as outdated and inadequate for events drawing 200 to 300 people a day.
"Both of the toilets, they overflow. You have human waste that are coming out," Lujano said. He said that during the tournament he had to plunge toilets repeatedly and that visiting teams from neighboring states had to use nearby businesses instead of the park restrooms. Lujano said the facility appears to have been in place for decades and urged the city to rebuild or expand the restrooms to meet demand.
Ed, a city staff member, responded that the restroom is maintained under an agreement with NRC (the recreation commission) and that city crews went out after the reported failure. Staff uncovered two cleanouts that had been buried over the years, installed meter-box-style access with lids to prevent reburial and said the uncovered cleanouts will allow plumbers such as Star Drain to clear laterals more easily.
Ed said root intrusion in sewer laterals is a likely contributing factor to backups and recommended regular cleaning before major events. He suggested the city and the NRC consider whether the Public Building Commission should include restroom replacement or rehabilitation as a future project. Commission members agreed to place the conversation on the Public Building Commission's radar and to coordinate pre-event cleaning before the next large tournament.
Lujano said renting porta-potties would cost the tournament about $600 and that the community expects an adequate facility when they pay to use the fields.
Ending: Staff said they will follow up with Lujano, place the item on the Public Building Commission schedule for consideration and coordinate pre-event plumbing checks for the next tournament.
