# Seattle's $465,000 Toilet Experiment Is Already Going Wrong

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/behind-the-line-podcast-pacific-northwest-politics-and-constitutional-commentary-3000152/seattle-s-465-000-toilet-experiment-is-already-going-wrong
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/behind-the-line-podcast-pacific-northwest-politics-and-constitutional-commentary-3000152/seattle-s-465-000-toilet-experiment-is-already-going-wrong.md
Podcast: [Behind the Line Podcast: Pacific Northwest Politics and Constitutional Commentary](https://stenobird.com/podcast/behind-the-line-podcast-pacific-northwest-politics-and-constitutional-commentary-3000152)
Published: 2026-06-08T15:08:03+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/behindtheline/episodes/Seattles-465-000-Toilet-Experiment-Is-Already-Going-Wrong-e3kghs3
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/3b0e86f8/podcast/play/121177411/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-5-8%2F076f7fda-f384-5279-4373-4bb4aead4de2.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/behind-the-line-podcast-pacific-northwest-politics-and-constitutional-commentary-3000152/episodes/seattle-s-465-000-toilet-experiment-is-already-going-wrong
Duration seconds: 528

## Resource

Seattle has launched a new $465,000 pilot program featuring four solar-powered "smart toilets" in Pioneer Square and SoDo ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. City officials say the restrooms will improve access for residents and visitors while reducing misuse through QR-code access, smartphone entry, and time limits. But critics are asking a simple question: Haven't we seen this before? In this episode, we examine Seattle's previous $5 million public toilet experiment, which ended in vandalism, drug activity, and the city eventually selling the units on eBay for just $12,549. We also look at the new Throne Labs contract, concerns about taxpayer spending, accessibility issues, vandalism reports, and whether public-private partnerships could offer a better solution. Is this a smart investment in public infrastructure, or another expensive government experiment destined to repeat history? #Seattle #WashingtonState #SeattlePolitics #TaxpayerMoney #WorldCup2026 #PublicSpending #GovernmentWaste #PioneerSquare #SeattleNews #LeftCoastNews

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/behind-the-line-podcast-pacific-northwest-politics-and-constitutional-commentary-3000152/episodes/seattle-s-465-000-toilet-experiment-is-already-going-wrong/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/behind-the-line-podcast-pacific-northwest-politics-and-constitutional-commentary-3000152/seattle-s-465-000-toilet-experiment-is-already-going-wrong.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.