Philadelphia's Transit Agency To Test Urine Repellent In Subways

(RTTNews) - SEPTA, Philadelphia's main transit agency, plans to explore a new public urination prevention approach to meet complaints of poor subway smells and cleanliness.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority plans to run a trial of urine-repelling paint called Ultra-Ever Dry this fall in its effort to clean up public spaces, news site BillyPenn said.

The superhydrophobic coating, which apparently makes urine spray back on the offender, has been used in public spaces in San Francisco and Hamburg, Germany.

According to SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch, the agency reportedly is planning to do the trials in a couple weeks. SEPTA is said to use the same Ultra-Ever Dry product, made by UltraTech, used in both San Francisco and Hamburg.

The decision was taken after Bay Area Rapid Transit agency installed anti-pee coating in 80 of its elevators last month. SEPTA is yet to decide whether they'll coat elevators, or use it elsewhere, the report said.

Officials from the San Francisco Department of Public Works reportedly stated that the vast majority of walls were splashing as expected.