The not-so-plush privy (model version pictured at the top) is to be erected at Alaska's Swede Park Trail Head (links below) -- a location described as "remote" by the Federal Bureau of Land Management (the BLM). So it naturally follows, of course, that the BLM is going all out to make sure that the remote trail has only the best of amenities to offer any person who might inadvertently show up there.
This includes "the facilities," apparently, since the BLM recently contracted for $100,000 to have an outhouse constructed at the trail head. And an outhouse is exactly what it is -- and not even a two-seater!
So how the heck can an apparently modest shitter with no running water cost 100 Grand, you might ask? Well, try the $50,000 price tag for the "waterless toilet" to be installed inside the crapper. I might ask if the BLM couldn't have instead just bought a toilet seat down at Home Depot for 40 or 50 bucks, but I don't want to be obtuse over here.
Still, though, that leaves another $50K for the rest of the shithouse, and Lord only knows what hole that money's being shit down by the BLM. Probably something in the order of a $20K door (complete with a $5K polished knob), a $10K TP dispenser, and $15K to cover the ventilation shaft and that little doggie door on the side. (I just hope they left something in the budget for cutting out that little moon shape on the door -- a necessity for any self-respectin' shithouse).
But alas, the $100K outhouse contract won't be covering everything. The second linked story says that the "pumping out and maintenance of the facility," for example, "are addressed in a separate contract." But have no fear. I bet a half a mill can cover that part.
http://patdollard.com/2013/10/government-to-build-100000-federal-outhouse/
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/eric-scheiner/open-business-govt-erect-98670-outhouse
Posts
