Holding tank
Also called: waste tank, the tank
The holding tank is the sealed reservoir under the seat of a portable toilet that collects waste, flush water and deodorizer until a vacuum truck pumps it out. Standard units hold roughly 50 to 70 gallons depending on the model.
Tank capacity sets the service interval. A unit used by ten workers for a week fills to a different level than a unit at a wedding for 150 guests over five hours, which is why operators size the order by use, not by tank size alone.
A tank that is overfull cannot be pumped clean and overflows onto the floor of the unit, so the fix for a smelly or full unit is always more units or more frequent service.
See also: Service visit, Vacuum truck, Deodorizer
Questions that use this term
Search allIs it legal to dump a porta potty holding tank into my own septic? ✓ Solved
Do not dump the holding tank into your cabin septic. Most health departments treat portable toilet waste as septage that has to go to an approved…
Can I add my own deodorizer or a bag of ice to the tank to keep it fresh?
We're hosting a backyard party this weekend, about 50 people over six hours, with a keg and some snacks. I rented a single standard portable toilet…
Hunting camp porta potty: Will bears try to get into the holding tank?
We run a hunting camp on our ranch in Montana, grizzly country. The camp has a crew of eight guys for two weeks, no alcohol, just campfire cooking. I…
Holding tank looks full three days before weekly service. Can we get an emergency pump-out? ✓ Solved
Yes, rental companies offer emergency pump-outs, but you will pay extra for the unscheduled service visit. Call your provider now and explain the…
Hunting camp: will a standard porta potty's holding tank crack if it freezes solid in October?
I have a hunting camp with a remote cabin that has no septic. We use a standard portable toilet for a crew of about six people over long weekends in…
What's the real-world capacity of a standard porta potty holding tank?
A standard portable toilet holding tank holds 50 to 70 gallons of waste and liquid, depending on the model and manufacturer. That's the physical…
What's the weirdest thing you've found in a porta potty tank?
Sixteen years driving a vacuum truck, and I thought I'd seen it all. Last week, on a Monday morning service run at a downtown construction site, I…
How do porta potties actually work? Where does everything go and why does it not smell worse ✓ Solved
Jules covered the system well, but the vent stack is key to why it doesn't smell worse. That small vent on the roof creates a passive airflow,…