Friday's ArtsFest After-party had to be cut short after the Union found itself caught short. No serviceable male toilets were available from 00:45, due to the disastrous condition of the Union's sewage system. The event was scheduled to continue for another 75 minutes.
In recent weeks toilets in all parts of the building have been flushing slowly in the evenings and in some circumstances filling completely. The load on Friday evening proved to be too much, putting all of the male toilets out of action and shutting the venue.
The problem had already been identified, with the finger pointed at contractors involved with the redevelopment project pouring cement into the drainage system. Inspections by the contractors themselves have so far not revealed any hardened substance. The precise nature of the problem is expected to be identified and rectified - by the contractor if they are to blame - at some point this week.
Union officers have been pressing College to give the drainage system an overhaul even before it was (allegedly) filled with cement. No-one has seriously looked at it for 50 years when the demand on it was far lower. With additional toilets being added to the building and an increase in capacity thanks to the new doors in da Vinci's, the creaking system is due for improvement.
College are, in typical style, dragging their knuckles along the ground: agreeing in principle but unable or unwilling to take action in a sensible time frame. Repairing the east side male toilets is suffering from the same problem, with the Union having to co-ordinate with contractors via College in order to get anything done.
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