Weekly farmers market in a library parking lot: rent porta potties every Saturday or leave them all season?

Leaving the portable toilets on site all season with a service visit before each market will likely be more cost-effective than weekly drop-off and pick-up, because you avoid paying a delivery fee every Saturday. For a crowd of 400 to 600 people over five hours, you should plan for more than the minimum number of units. The planning guideline for an event of that length without alcohol is about one standard portable toilet per 50 to 75 people. Since you have families and a long line for the library restroom, I would add extra units. You will also need at least one ADA-compliant portable toilet to comply with the ADA 5 percent cluster rule for any cluster of portable toilets.

Adding a handwash station is a good idea since vendors handle food, and it improves the guest experience. Weekly service is the industry norm, but for a Saturday-only event, a service visit on Friday afternoon ensures the units are clean and fully stocked for the market. The rental company will need clear truck access to the units every Friday for the service. Locking the units during the week, as the library requires, prevents unauthorized use and keeps them cleaner for your event.

Leaving the units on site all season requires confirming the library's written permission for long-term placement, as some municipalities require a permit for right-of-way use. Brooke covered the unit count well, but with families and high traffic, consider adding a deluxe unit with a sink to reduce handwash station demand. For service, a Friday visit is standard, but hot weather or heavy use might require a post-market pump-out to prevent overflows. Ensure the rental company notes the locked status for servicing.