Where to Place a Porta Potty: A Setup Checklist

Place a porta potty on flat, level, firm ground where the service truck can park within about 30 ft. Make sure every gate on the route is wider than the unit, which is about 44 in wide. Keep it away from food, out of low spots, and on a clear path for guests who use a wheelchair.

What kind of ground does a porta potty need?

A porta potty needs flat, level, firm ground with a footprint of about 4 ft by 4 ft for a standard unit. A slope of even a few inches makes the door swing open or shut on its own and can tip the unit. Grass, gravel, packed dirt and concrete all work when level.

Avoid these spots:

• Low ground or ditch lines that hold water after a storm.
• Septic drain fields and buried irrigation lines.
• Loose sand that shifts under weight.
• Freshly backfilled trenches on a job site.

A standard porta potty stands about 7.5 ft tall, so check for low branches too. A wheelchair-accessible unit is about 7.5 ft square and needs an even firmer, flatter pad.

How wide does a gate need to be for a porta potty?

A gate needs to be wider than about 44 in to fit a standard porta potty, which is roughly 44 in wide and 48 in deep. A 4 ft garden gate is tight; a 5 ft or wider gate is safer. A wheelchair-accessible unit is about 7.5 ft wide and needs a driveway-size opening.

Measure the narrowest point, not just the gate. Posts, AC units, trash cans and steps along a side yard can pinch the path.

If the unit cannot reach the spot, the driver places it at the closest workable point. If the truck cannot place the unit at all because of a locked gate or blocked access, a $75 trip fee applies. Leave gates unlocked on delivery day.

How close does the service truck need to get?

The service truck needs to park within about 30 ft of the porta potty, because the pump hose reaches about 30 ft. For long-term rentals, that access is needed every week on service day. Delivery trucks also need a clear route with no low wires, soft ground, or tight turns.

Plan the truck route as carefully as the unit spot. On job sites, keep the path clear of material stacks, dumpsters and parked equipment on service day.

Restroom trailers need more room. A 2-stall trailer is about 12 ft long plus the tongue and 8.5 ft wide, and it needs a hose and a 20-amp, 110-volt outlet within about 100 ft. See restroom trailers for setup needs.

Can a truck reach a porta potty on sand or wet grass?

A delivery truck can sink in soft beach sand or rain-soaked grass, especially after a heavy summer storm. Pick a spot within about 30 ft of pavement, a driveway, or a hard-packed road, so the truck never leaves firm ground. If the yard is soft, place the unit at the edge of the driveway.

Coastal yards in Biloxi, Long Beach, Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis often sit on sandy soil. Pine-country lots in Saucier and Vancleave turn soft after a week of rain.

Tell us about soft ground when you book. A unit 20 ft from the party is better than a truck stuck in the lawn.

How far should a porta potty be from food, tents and guests?

Keep a porta potty about 25 ft or more from food tables, grills and the serving tent. Place it downwind if you can, with the door facing away from the main crowd. Guests should still reach it in under a 1-minute walk. Too far and people head into the house or the woods.

At events with food, set a hand-washing station beside the toilets. Plan 1 station for every 2 to 3 standard units.

Group units together in a cluster. One cluster is easier to find, light and service than units scattered around a site. At night, put a light near the cluster.

What does an accessible path to a porta potty need?

An accessible path to a porta potty should be firm, stable and level enough for a wheelchair, with no steps or deep grass. Public events should make at least 5% of portable units in each cluster wheelchair-accessible, with a minimum of 1, under the 2010 ADA Standards. Place that unit closest to the main path.

Section 213 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design covers the 5% rule for portable toilet clusters. Accessible units should carry the wheelchair symbol.

Plywood or event matting can firm up a grass path. Keep cords, hoses and tent stakes out of the route.

What about wind, beaches and public parks?

Near the beach, wind gusts can tip an empty porta potty that stands about 7.5 ft tall, so strap it to a post or stake it down. In public parks, units left overnight should be locked when the event ends. Some cities, such as Ocean Springs, require their own contracted hauler on city property, so check before you book.

Ways to protect a unit overnight and in wind:

• Ask for a free hasp and padlock.
• Place it out of the main wind line, behind a building or vehicle.
• Do not tie it to a tent or a light pole that can move.

On park or beach land, the city may set rules about placement. For Biloxi events, see Biloxi special event permit restrooms. For storm season tips, read porta potties in hurricane season.