HOA lake beach cleanup and potluck for about 60: can a porta potty sit right on the sand?

Question

Our HOA has a small private beach on the lake and we're doing a fall cleanup morning followed by a potluck, so people will be down there from about 8 until mid afternoon. Figuring around 60 adults plus a pile of kids. The only real bathroom is in the clubhouse, a good ten minute walk uphill, and nobody is making that trip with a toddler.

The flat spot closest to the water is dry sand. The paved lot ends maybe 150 feet back, and the way down is a wooden boardwalk the truck obviously can't drive on.

Will a unit sink or lean sitting on sand all day? Do they put something under it? Or should I just put two up at the edge of the lot and make people walk the boardwalk? A couple of our older residents use canes, so I'm also wondering if one should be the accessible kind.

Brooke L. · Answer

A standard portable toilet will sink and lean on loose sand. The rental company must place a unit on a firm, level surface. They often use a plywood or composite board underlayment to distribute the weight and prevent sinking. For your event, the paved lot is the correct placement location, even with the walk. A unit on sand is a tipping hazard and the vacuum truck cannot service it there.

For 60 adults and children over eight hours, two units are the minimum. The ADA cluster rule applies because you are providing a public accommodation. You must include at least one ADA-compliant portable toilet. The walk from the lot is a concern for mobility, but the unit must be on stable ground for safety and service. The truck needs to drive right up to the units on the paved lot for delivery and pumping. A service visit is not needed for a one-day event; the units are delivered clean and serviced after pickup. The cost is driven by the unit types, the delivery distance, and the rental duration.

HOA lake beach cleanup and potluck for about 60: can a porta potty sit right on the sand?

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