(SNN Oslo) Officials at the waterfall Voringfossen, on the road between Bergen and Oslo have set up a special website for public urinaters.

Too many people are using the woods as a toilet

"Too many people are using the woods as a toilet," says Lise Nilsen, Voringfossen’s webmaster. That means other people "are stepping on excrement and the trails stink of urine," Nilsen said. "Something had to be done."

Several thousand tourists come to a place in the middle of nowhere (or at least Oslo and Bergen) to view thousands of gallons of rushing water every day. The local cafeteria provides one public restroom. Authorities recognized there was a problem and took immediate action. They put up a sign asking tourists to use the public toilet.

Tourism officials in Norway are not happy.

Tourism officials in Norway are not happy. "This is an unacceptable approach to the problem of a lack of sanitary facilities," said Nina Broch Mathisen, of Innovasjon Norge's office in Hordaland. "I've never seen anything like this, and I think the photos should be removed. It's destructive for tourism in (the area)."

But not everyone agrees with Innovasjon Norge's office in Hordaland. One local man Synlig Oksekjott enjoys the new service. “I had not been to the waterfalls for years. Now that they take your picture while urinating, I have been there three times.” Unfortunately for Oksekjott, they have not used his pictures on the website, as he always faces the camera.

It is still not known if this new, radical attempt to stem the tide of urine will be successful. But it is hoped that the incidences will slow to a trickle. Voringfossen officials are hoping for a positive result so they can move on to address the rampant public masturbation and sodomy problem.

posted by NewsBlog 5000  # Friday, July 08, 2005