Key takeaways
- 2,000 peak attendees: 11 standard units, 1 accessible, 3–4 handwash stations.
- Set up Friday, serviced Saturday night, picked up Monday.
- The mid-event service is what makes 12 units work.
What did the festival order?
A two-day outdoor festival expecting up to 2,000 people on Saturday and about 1,000 on Sunday ordered 12 porta potties and 3–4 handwash stations, set up the Friday before, with a Saturday-night service visit. Units were picked up the Monday after.
“We need to make sure they get washed on Saturday.”
What did they forget?
No wheelchair-accessible unit. Our dispatcher asked, and the order became 11 standard units and 1 accessible. The 2010 ADA Standards call for at least 5% of portable units in each public cluster, minimum one, to be accessible.
Why does 12 units work for 2,000 people?
A strict guests-per-hour chart says a 2,000-person, 7-hour event needs far more. Day-long festivals work with fewer units because arrivals spread across the day — but only with a mid-event service. Without the Saturday-night clean, 12 units would fail by Sunday noon.
What should other festival organizers copy?
Copy four things: set up the day before gates open, book a service visit between event days, put handwash stations beside food and at the main cluster, and make at least 5% of units accessible. Put units in two or three clusters instead of one long row, so lines stay short near the stage and food.
- Set up the day before.
- Service between event days.
- Handwash at food and main clusters.
- 5% accessible per cluster, minimum one.
- Split units into 2–3 clusters.
Straight answers
Related questions
Does a public event need a handicap unit?
Where portable restrooms serve the public, the 2010 ADA Standards section 213.2 calls for at least 5% of units in each cluster, and no fewer than one, to be accessible. In our call log, a 2,000-person festival had not planned any until dispatch asked. Plan at least one.
How often is the porta potty cleaned?
Units on 28-day rentals are serviced once a week: pumped, scrubbed, deodorized and restocked. Event units arrive clean and stocked. Festivals and multi-day events can add a mid-event service, such as a Saturday-night clean before a Sunday crowd.
Do you rent hand washing stations?
Yes. A standalone two-sink handwash station runs about $199 per event and is refilled on multi-day events. Food vendors, festivals and jobsites use them most. For small parties, the deluxe 2-in-1 unit with a built-in sink is usually the better buy.
Do I need a McAllen permit for my event?
Restrooms alone do not need a city permit. Parades, street closures, mass gatherings and street events need a City of McAllen special event permit, and food sales need a temporary food permit from Health and Code Enforcement at least two weeks ahead. Confirm with the city before you plan your restroom count.