Are you hosting a large party? When planning a party or festival, you’re probably concerned with figuring out the venue and ensuring there’s plenty of food and entertainment. But, you might end up with a massive problem on your hands if you don’t consider the bathroom situation.

To organize a successful event, you need two things: a great concept and plenty of bathrooms.

Location Is Everything

Location. Location. Location. It’s one thing to calculate how many porta potties you need; it’s quite another to determine where they’ll all go. It seems simple: just cluster all the units together and ensure they’re out of the way. Unfortunately, not considering proper porta potty placement is how you end up with a logistical nightmare on your hands.

To figure out the best location, here are some of the things you should consider:

1. Ease of Access

The portable restrooms’ location should be easily accessible to both drivers and party-goers. At the same time, you also have to adhere to public sanitation laws.

See, most event planners tend to only consider ease of access by public goers. Portable restrooms are typically delivered on top of a truck, and some are towed to the location, depending on the type of unit. So, you’ll have to ensure accessibility for delivery, cleaning, and removal. If the delivery truck is unable to access your preferred location, you might have to choose another spot.

Another thing: how long will the event last? It’s vital to ensure that the portable restrooms are accessible for events lasting more than one day, such as festivals and concerts. Plus, you don’t want to place them in an area that could impede emergency vehicles.

2. Visibility

Keep portable restrooms in a location that’s visible to your guests but not too visible that they become an eyesore. The key is to keep them in a central place that’s easily accessible to your guests. If you have a large event that spans a wide area, it’s definitely not a good idea to have all the portable bathrooms in one spot. In this case, you’ll have to place restrooms in different sections, so your attendees will never be too far from a toilet.

Whether you’re organizing a large event or a small one, it’s best to place some portable restrooms close to food trucks or any place selling food and drinks. The next best location is placing them near any seating locations.

Are there permanent bathroom facilities on the premises? If so, place the porta potties in the same area.

3. Weather and Geography

Proper porta potty placement isn’t just a matter of keeping them close and accessible to party-goers. Portable restrooms have to be placed on dry, level land and should always be within 25 feet of where a maintenance truck can park.

Plus, it’s crucial to protect portable restrooms from the elements. It’s a good idea to have them against a fence, wall or structure that can act as a barrier from strong winds and prevent them from tipping over.  Also, try not to place the porta potties on dirt, grass, or surfaces that won’t hold up to heavy rain as this will limit their access.

4. Where Do The Handicap Porta-Potties Go

At least five percent of the portable restrooms at an event must be handicap-accessible. For smaller events, there should be at least one. Handicap-accessible porta potties have to be clearly marked and readily accessible.

One thing to consider is that these restrooms are considerably bigger than regular porta-potties. They come equipped with grab bars and have a floor area large enough to provide wheelchair access. Some even come equipped with changing tables for parents with infants.

Not only do you have to provide enough restrooms, you also have to ensure that there’s enough space for all of them. There’s nothing worse than a congested bathroom area.

5. Consider the law

Yup. There are regulations that dictate porta potty placement in festivals or construction sites. As mentioned, there must be enough handicap-accessible units. Other rules are: a portable restroom can’t block a fire hydrant or any emergency equipment, and if you have to place them on public property like a sidewalk, you must get preapproval from your city.

It’s easier to get a permit than to deal with the consequences of not having one.

6. Porta Potty Security

Now, this is a factor most organizers overlook to their detriment. It’s not unheard of for portable restrooms to be tipped over or vandalized by pranksters, especially if they’re left at the event overnight.

Trust us; you don’t want to deal with the mess. So, consider keeping them in secured, well-lit areas. Better yet, you can hire a security officer to monitor the property overnight.

Prepping The Area

Here are some practical tips that will ensure you figure out the ideal location for the portable bathrooms

• DON’T locate them upwind of the crowd for obvious reasons.
• DON’T place portable bathrooms in high-traffic areas. Keep them to the sides of these areas.
• DO place them in multiple locations as this will provide your guests with easy access.
• DO make sure the restrooms are easily accessible for cleaning

How Many People, For How Long?

These are the two main things you’ll have to consider when renting portable bathrooms. And the location is just as important.

Pacific Sanitation has portable restroom solutions to suit your needs, from large-scale construction projects to festivals and concerts. If you’d like guidance on where to place your portable bathrooms, contact us. We’d love to help you out.