Waverley man Steve Bodnar makes unique device to stop late-night revellers peeing on his property

Fed up with late-night revellers trespassing onto his property and urinating in the dead of night, a Sydney man was forced to become a “justice of the piss”. Watch his unique sprinkler solution.

A series of late-night revellers creep onto an eastern suburbs property for a wee on the way home, but it’s not the wall of Steve Bodnar’s home being sprayed anymore.

Instead, as his CCTV footage shows, it’s the unwanted visitors copping a blast from his homemade sprinkler device, which sprays unsuspecting people with water when they try to step on to his property to relieve themselves in the dead of night.

“Fed up” with drunken people encroaching on his place, the Waverley resident created the sprinkler device as a “last resort”, having made repeated efforts to have late-night anti-social behaviour addressed by police, local pubs and the council.

He believes his home is often used by intoxicated people, who often find themselves caught short and in quick need of a toilet while coming and going from two nearby pubs.

“I’ve had people urinating on my driveway and car, and in the mornings I have to hose it all down so I don’t step in it. It’s grotty and I’m sick of it,” he said.

The sprinkler has a sensor.

A photo of the device in action.

“There’s also people turning up in cars after midnight who are drunk and the first thing they do is urinate on my driveway.”

Mr Bodnar made the sprinkler device, which includes a water pressure system, an irrigation timer and a light sensor to detect trespassers.

The electrician then mounted the sprinkler to a wall. 

The device is mounted to a wall next to Mr Bodnar’s driveway.

The device acts as a deterrence measure.

“It’s connected to a tap in the backyard and it also has a timer on it, so I schedule it after I come home from work and turn it off in the mornings so I don’t get wet myself when the sensor goes off,” he said.

“It’s a last resort, but it’s worked really well so far.

“The people who step under it get a fright and move on very quickly.”

CCTV of the sprinkler in action.

Mr Bodnar said the device has proven effective.

The DIY solution follows concerns over anti-social antics being publicly aired at a Bondi community meeting, where residents called for issues for increased police patrols and licensing enforcement in the area.

Warren Livingstone, owner of the nearby Charing Cross Hotel, rejected claims the venue was contributing to anti-social activity in the suburb.

However, he believes the sprinkler device has merit.

“We have very strong licensing measures in place, including security guards to address any anti-social behaviour,” he said.

A photo of the homemade sprinkler, light and sensor device.

The device sets off water to deter trespassers.

“However, the sprinkler sounds like a good idea to stop random people coming from parties, and I hope Steve has it patented because he can probably make a lot of money out of it.”

Waverley Council said it met regularly with police and other relevant authorities to forward and discuss any concerns raised by community members, including disorderly conduct.

In a statement, NSW Police said it was “aware of community concerns over anti-social behaviour” around licensed venues in Waverley.

“Police regularly patrol licensed premises to address the issue of anti-social behaviour across the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command and interact with staff at licensed premises and patrons to reduce anti-social behaviour,” a police spokeswoman said.

Originally published as Waverley man Steve Bodnar makes unique device to stop late-night revellers peeing on his property