A porta potty holds waste in a sealed tank below the seat, usually 60 to 70 gallons, mixed with a blue deodorizing chemical that breaks down solids and cuts odor. San Rafael Porta Pros services each unit on a set schedule, pumps the tank, and restocks supplies. No plumbing, no water hookup needed.
Picture the diagram on the inside of most unit doors: a molded seat sits over a holding tank, and a vent stack runs up through the roof to pull odor out and away from the user. There's no water flush. Instead, the tank holds a chemical charge, usually a blue deodorizer, that breaks down waste and controls smell between services. A standard unit runs about 44 by 48 inches on the ground and stands close to 92 inches tall, which is why one fits easily on a job site or in a backyard for a party. Under OSHA 1926.51(c), construction sites need one toilet for every 20 workers or fewer, which is why you'll see a construction worker walking to a porta potty at almost every job site in San Rafael, from a home addition to a bigger commercial build. Our crews handle the pump-out and restock so a foreman never has to think about it. If you're new to renting, start with our portable toilet rental page or browse portable restroom rental options before you book.
A portable sink is its own sealed system: a fresh water tank feeds a foot pump or hand pump, water runs over your hands into a separate gray water tank underneath, and soap sits in a built-in dispenser. Nothing connects to a building's plumbing. Under 29 CFR 1910.141(d)(2), handwashing setups need soap and a towel or air dryer, since hand sanitizer alone doesn't meet that standard, and that's exactly how our handwashing station rental units are stocked. Farm crews and food vendors around San Rafael use these constantly, and if you're staffing a crew doing hand labor, OSHA 1928.110 calls for one facility per 20 workers within a quarter mile walk. We also rent a standalone portable sink rental for events that need washing stations separate from the toilets, and a hand sanitizer station rental works as a supplement, not a replacement, for soap and water.
A flushable, or deluxe, unit uses a small onboard freshwater tank and a hand or foot pump to push a real flush through the bowl into a larger holding tank below, closer to what you'd expect in a house. Cleaner and quieter than a standard unit, which is why weddings and corporate events in San Rafael tend to book them. Check deluxe flushable porta potty for specs, since these run a wider price range than standard units depending on features. For ADA compliance, note that ADA Standards 213.2 requires at least 5 percent of clustered units, and never fewer than one, to be wheelchair accessible, with a 60 inch turning circle inside per ADA Standards 304.3.1 and a 32 inch clear door opening under ADA Standards 404.2.3. If you're planning a wedding, our wedding restroom rental and event restroom rental pages walk through unit counts and accessible unit placement together.
Camping units work the same way as job site units, just smaller and lighter for hauling to a trailhead or campsite. Same sealed tank, same chemical breakdown of waste, same vented design to control odor, just scaled down for portability. San Rafael sits close enough to Mount Tamalpais and coastal camping areas that weekend rentals for group camping trips are common, and our camping porta potty option handles that without needing a full-size delivery. Service interval matters here too: ANSI/PSAI Z4.3 sets a baseline of one service visit per week for up to 10 users across a 40 hour week, though heavy weekend use at a campsite usually needs a pump-out sooner. If you're weighing a short weekend rental against a longer stay, our porta potty rental per day and porta potty rental cost pages break down what changes the price.
| Unit | Day | Week | Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $100 - $350 | $130 - $500 | $125 - $325 |
| Deluxe flushable | $85 - $1200 | $150 - $290 | -- |
| ADA accessible | $200 - $400 | $240 - $500 | -- |
A weekend rental for a standard unit typically runs $125 to $400, useful if you're planning a Saturday event and returning the unit Monday. For anything longer than a month, check monthly porta potty rental for how the rate structure works.
Portable toilet chemicals are different from what goes into a fixed septic system, and mixing the two causes problems. A residential septic tank is typically pumped every 3 to 5 years depending on tank size and household size, and our septic pumping service and septic tank cleaning pages cover that separately from portable rentals. If you're searching for a septic tank cleaning chemical, note that portable toilet deodorizers aren't designed for buried tanks and can interfere with the bacterial breakdown a septic system relies on. Restaurants and commercial kitchens have a different problem entirely: a grease interceptor needs pumping once fats, oils, grease and solids hit 25 percent of the liquid depth, which is what our grease trap pumping crews check for. For general septic questions, septic tank warning signs and how often to pump a septic tank go deeper. San Rafael Porta Pros also runs holding tank rental for sites without any sewer connection at all.
They shouldn't, if serviced on schedule. Odor control comes from the vent stack and the chemical charge in the tank, both designed to move air out and break down waste between pump-outs. See do porta potties smell for what affects smell in hot weather.
Weekly is standard for one unit serving up to 10 people across a 40-hour week, per ANSI/PSAI Z4.3. High-traffic events or job sites often need more frequent service. Details are on how often are porta potties cleaned.
It depends on worker or guest count and event length. OSHA 1926.51(c) sets the construction ratio at one unit per 20 workers. Our how many porta potties do I need guide covers events and job sites separately.
Placement in the public right of way needs confirming with the city, so check with San Rafael before curbside placement. For everything else, our porta potty placement guide and porta potty permit requirements pages walk through setup basics.
Cold weather slows the chemical breakdown and can freeze standing water in a flush unit. We adjust chemical mix and servicing for cold snaps. Full details are on porta potty in winter.
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