THE problem-plagued public toilets at Chek Lap Kok are undergoing a $7.6 million overhaul to reduce breakdowns and smells that are still drawing complaints two years after the airport opened.
Urinals are being ripped out and replaced, tiling redone and new lights installed in what the Airport Authority says is routine work for a new building and 'not a major problem'.
Almost half of the airport's 50 public toilet blocks have been renovated and the rest, in areas where demand is lower, are awaiting work.
The upgrade comes only about six months after inappropriate water pumps were found to be leading to a build-up of pressure in pipes and causing several to burst.
Smelly, malfunctioning toilets attracted a flood of complaints during the chaos of the airport's first days of operation in July 1998. Other problems included thousands of lost bags, broken escalators, faulty flight display boards and a breakdown of air freight handling.
The Airport Authority confirmed this week that $7.6 million was being spent addressing the latest problems.
Urinals were found to be too small to flush efficiently, and are being replaced with larger units and some urinals at a lower height for children.
