How do operators decide on deodorizer for hot climates?
I'm a new driver for a rental company in North Texas. My boss uses a specific deodorizer formula for the summer months, and I'm curious about how…
2answers
30views
Deb K. replied
Questions tagged “Holding tank”
157 questions across all categories.
157 questions
Family of four during a septic repair: Is one porta potty enough for two weeks?
Our septic system is getting replaced starting Monday, and the contractor says it will take about two weeks. The rental company recommended a single…
2answers
24views
Marcus B. replied
Water line crew moving about a mile a week: can we tow a trailer unit ourselves?
We're replacing a water line along a county road, crew of six, and the work face moves roughly a mile every week. Right now we have one standard unit…
2answers
26views
Marcus B. replied
How do you dispose of waste in a rural county with no treatment plant?
I run a small portable toilet rental operation in a rural county. The nearest approved wastewater treatment plant that accepts septage is two hours…
2answers
39views
Kim S. replied
2026: Are more plants banning blue dye in porta potty waste?
I run a small rental business with about 40 standard units and a few ADA-compliant units, mostly for construction sites and weekend events. Our local…
2answers
29views
Ray M. replied
Can a service hose reach a unit 100 feet from the truck?
A 100-foot hose run is not standard and will likely require special equipment and higher cost. Most vacuum trucks carry about 80 to 100 feet of hose,…
1answer
24views
Ray M. replied
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…
1answer
30views
Porta Potty Forum Team replied
Why does our porta potty smell fine at first, then get bad quickly?
We have one standard portable toilet for a crew of 15 on a residential gut rehab in Chicago. It's serviced weekly, but by day three or four the odor…
2answers
23views
Kim S. replied
Hunting camp porta potty: Will it last 4 months without service?
We have a hunting camp on our ranch, up a 40-mile dirt road. Every weekend from September through December, a crew of six guys uses the camp. The…
2answers
33views
Marcus B. replied
Can we add our own deodorizer puck to a rented porta potty?
We have a standard portable toilet on our driveway for a bathroom renovation that's running long. It's just my wife and me using it, but by day five…
1answer
29views
Jake W. replied
2026: are biodegradable deodorizers effective in high-heat climates?
My current crew of 80 is on a 6-month high-rise job in Phoenix. We have a cluster with six standard units and one ADA-compliant unit. The ground is…
2answers
27views
Deb K. replied
Rec league fields: should weekly porta potty service come Friday before games or Monday after?
I help run a volunteer rec soccer league and we have two standard units sitting at the fields through the end of November. Games are Saturday and…
2answers
21views
Marcus B. replied
Winter 2026: will our construction site porta potties freeze solid?
Our site in Chicago has 95 workers on site for a 10-week project through January. We have a cluster of ten standard portable toilets and one…
2answers
30views
Ray M. replied
Why does our porta potty smell worse after a hot day?
We've got a standard portable toilet on our Phoenix job site. It sits in the sun all day and by 2 PM it smells terrible. The crew of 40 guys won't…
2answers
29views
Ray M. replied
Hunting camp: can a standard unit handle 8 people for two weeks?
We're setting up a hunting camp in a remote area, no septic or water. There will be eight of us for a full two weeks. The ground is uneven forest…
2answers
23views
Marcus B. replied
Saturday overtime for three weeks: do we add a weekend pump-out on top of Friday service? ✓ Solved
Yes, you add a Saturday pump-out. Two standard units on a Friday service schedule with 35 workers daily are already at the limit by Thursday, and a…
2answers
31views
Deb K. replied
What's the protocol for a porta potty fire on a construction site?
A standard portable toilet fire is rare but possible from a discarded cigarette or vandalism. The plastic shell and holding tank fumes can ignite.…
1answer
31views
Deb K. replied
Why does our porta potty smell like rotten eggs after rain?
We have a standard portable toilet on a residential job in Chicago, about 20 guys using it over the past three weeks. It sits on level gravel in the…
1answer
32views
Jake W. replied
What's the advantage of a portable urinal on a construction site?
I run a crew of 25 on a six-month residential gut rehab in Chicago. We have two standard portable toilets on site, placed on level gravel within 20…
2answers
27views
Porta Potty Forum Team replied
Hunting camp: can a porta potty last a month without service?
I run a hunting camp in the backcountry near Bozeman. Our access road is a 40-mile dirt track, and getting a vacuum truck out here costs a bundle.…
2answers
34views
Lisa G. replied
Why does our unit smell like ammonia after a few days in the sun?
Our crew of 25 guys has one standard portable toilet on a commercial job site in Phoenix. It sits on packed dirt about 15 feet from the crane pad, so…
1answer
29views
Deb K. replied
Flushing portable toilet mechanism: How does the foot pedal work?
A flushing portable toilet uses a foot pedal to activate a pump that draws fresh water from a tank and sprays it into the bowl. The foot pedal…
2answers
43views
Megan H. replied
What's the weirdest thing you've ever found in a porta potty during service?
Ten years on the vacuum truck, and I've pulled some strange things out of holding tanks. Last week, a full set of car keys, still on the ring. Before…
3answers
41views
Porta Potty Forum Team replied
How do operators decide on service frequency for a new long-term site?
We're kicking off a six-month residential gut rehab with a crew of about twelve people on site from 7 AM to 4 PM, five days a week. The rental…
2answers
29views
Ray M. replied
Our site has a 10% grade. Can a vacuum truck still pump the unit?
We're setting up a standard portable toilet for a small crew of five working on our house remodel for the next month. The only flat spot on our…
1answer
32views
Luis A. replied