Florida Anti-Pee Paint Creating Splash in California

By ALEXANDER NGUYEN (Patch Staff)

A Jacksonville company’s anti-pee paint is making quite a splash in the San Francisco area.

That’s no joke either.

It seems UltraTech International’s unique formulation creates a texture on treated surfaces with geometric shapes that form peaks and valleys. The “peaks” actually repel water, or in San Francisco’s case, urine. That means men who can’t find a restroom and opt to use a treated wall will find out the hard way some of the walls in San Francisco actually “pee back.”

After testing nine “pee-back” walls throughout the city using the specialty paint, the city of San Francisco has announced it intends to paint eight more walls using the unique product this week.

According to San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, the pilot program has a 95 percent success rate.

“There’s only one alley in the Mission that we have had trouble with,” Nuru told the San Francisco Chronicle.

How does the department know the walls work? Through daily inspection, Nuru said. One person has the unenviable task of doing a daily sniff -- really! -- and visual inspection of each wall. Anything that smells of urine or looks moist is noted and reported.

The “pee-back” walls have proven to work in Europe, especially in the city of Hamburg, Germany. That’s where Nuru got the idea.

Each wall costs the city a couple hundred dollars, but that cost pales in comparison to the cost of having to steam clean the wall or sidewalk.

The Golden City has traditionally had a problem with public urination, despite a ban on the books since 2002 with fines ranging from $50 to $500. That didn’t seem to curb the problem.

Last year, the city started the “Pitt Stop” program by installing public toilets. That reduced the number of calls for urine steam clean, but the city wants to do more to deter the peeing menace.

San Francisco will evaluate the program’s effectiveness in December and if the “pee back” walls prove to be effective, more walls will be painted with the special paint.

For now, be aware. The treated walls have a painted message to remind people that walls are not bathrooms but does not warn that it will “pee back.”

To find out more about UltraTech International, visit the company’s website.