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July Fourth backyard cookout: one porta potty or two with beer and all-day guests? ✓ Solved

Lisa G.asked 46 viewsEvents & WeddingsJuly fourthBackyard partyHow manyAlcoholWeekend rentalStandard unit

Accepted answer

Two standard units is the safer call for 60 to 70 people over eight or nine hours with beer. Read the full answer

We're hosting a July Fourth cookout in our backyard and I want the restroom plan right this time. Expecting 60 to 70 people coming and going from late morning until after fireworks, so closer to eight or nine hours than a short afternoon. Coolers with beer and soda, grill food, kids running around. The house has one bathroom and last year relatives parked in it all day.

I'm looking at renting a standard unit for the weekend. With alcohol and a long day, do folks usually bump that to two units, or is one enough if the servicing truck can top it off mid-day? Also, for a holiday weekend, does delivery usually land Friday with pickup Monday, or can they pull it Sunday night?

Truck can use the driveway. I'd put the unit on flat grass along the side fence if that works.

2 answers

Accepted answer first, then by votes
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✓ Accepted by Lisa G.

Dave P.Madison, WI

Two standard units is the safer call for 60 to 70 people over eight or nine hours with beer.

One unit can cover a short afternoon with light drinks. Beer plus a long holiday day stacks up fast. Guests use the toilet more often when they are drinking, and kids bounce in and out all afternoon. By evening you can hit a full tank or a line right when fireworks start, which is when you least want a mess.

Mid-day servicing helps if you only rent one, but on a July Fourth weekend the truck schedule is tight and a top-off is not something I would bank on. Two units give you a buffer without needing that stop.

Friday delivery and Monday pickup is the usual holiday pattern. Sunday night pickup happens when the operator has a free route, but I would not plan around it. Ask when you book so the calendar is clear.

Flat grass along the side fence works if the truck can reach it from the driveway and the ground is firm. Keep the unit away from the grill smoke and out of the kids play path.

  • Owen G. Agree on two. A [handwash station](https://portapotty.forum/glossary/handwash-station/) is the other must-have for an all-day food event. It cuts down on the mess inside the units.
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Brooke L.Charleston, SC

Rent two standard units for your cookout to avoid a line and a full tank. The guideline starts at one unit per 50 to 75 people for a four-hour event, but your eight-hour day with alcohol and kids requires more capacity. A single standard unit with a 50 to 70 gallon holding tank will likely be full before the fireworks. Dave covered the holiday delivery schedule. Confirm with the rental company that the flat grass along the fence is firm enough for the truck to drive on for placement; soft ground can cause the unit to sink. Adding a handwash station is a good idea with grill food.

  • Priya N. If you have a septic tank, check the rental company's deodorizer formula. Many wastewater plants ban formaldehyde, so operators switched to formaldehyde-free, but some formulas can still upset a home septic's bacteria.

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