Planning is the key to success if you have a public event to organise this summer, and one absolutely vital aspect of any large event is the need for portable toilets.

Summer 2022 is going to be a big one for events of this nature, with warmer weather, longer evenings, and more social events in the great outdoors. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the next few months will be jam-packed with concerts, festivals, markets, and sporting events – exactly what the events industry needed after a long lay-off.

So if you’re organising any kind of large-scale event this summer, you’re going to need portable toilets. But how many will you need?

 

How many portable toilets do you need for your event?

Out of all the moving parts that are involved in running an event, the least glamorous one is arguably the most important — the toilet situation. It is crucial to get this right, or people will be talking about your event for all the wrong reasons.

Portable toilets are a necessity at small and large-scale events of all kinds, including:

• Weddings
• Festivals
• Charity events
• Hell and Back
• Gigs
• Birthday parties
• Performances
• Reunions
• Sporting events
• Community events
• Beer and wine tasting classes

Determining the exact number of portable toilets you’ll require depends on a combination of factors. Here are some of the most important ones to nail down early in the planning process:

 

Estimated attendance figures

The number of portable toilets you’ll need depends largely on the number of attendees, so you must obtain an estimate of attendance levels. Don’t forget to include the staff who will be on-site before, during, and after the event.

For your site setup, our self-powered mobile welfare units are usually a great choice, providing your setup team with all of the facilities they will need while they get your location up and running. They are modern, fully equipped with a canteen, toilet and drying room and they can be rapidly dispatched to any location nationwide.

When it comes to the event itself, one toilet for every one hundred guests per hour is generally considered a good rule of thumb, but this will fluctuate depending on the duration of the event, male to female ratio, and whether or not food and drink are being served.

 

Event duration

The second most important factor is the expected duration of the event. If it is due to last for more than four hours, then you can expect to need anywhere from one and a half to three times the amount of portable toilets.

If an event is due to last less than six hours and there is no food or drink served, then you should be looking at providing one portable toilet for every 100 women, one for every 500 men, and one additional urinal for every 150 men.

If the event is due to last for more than six hours and no food or drink is being served, then one portable toilet for every 85 women, one for every 425 men, and one urinal for every 125 men should suffice.

 

 

Food and drink

If food and drink are being served (especially alcohol!), this will increase the number of portable toilets you’ll need by at least 15 to 25%.

As a general guideline, in this case, you should plan to have one portable toilet for every 75 women, one for every 400 men, and one urinal for every 100 men.

 

Accessibility

Event organisers are required by law to provide accessible toilet facilities, but it can be difficult to estimate how many will be needed. It is generally recommended to provide a minimum of one accessible toilet for every twenty standard units.

 

Portable toilets need handwashing facilities

Good hygiene is essential to avoid the spread of germs and bugs. You should provide at least one sink or hand sanitising station for every four portable toilets.

 

The ratio of male to female cubicles

Event organisers are not required by law to provide separate toilet areas, but it is generally expected (and appreciated!) by event-goers.

 

Size of event space

If the event is spread out over a very large area, e.g. a music festival, then you should provide more toilets to compensate for the distance people need to travel to use them.

 

 

Other factors to consider for your outdoor event

When planning an outdoor event of any kind, portable toilets are just one piece of the puzzle. To ensure your event is a success, make sure you also organise the following:

• Any permits, licences, or permissions that may be required from local authorities (e.g. regarding food, alcohol, noise limits, erection of tents, etc.)
• Water supply
• Waste disposal
• First aid facilities

It is also important to provide a safe, sturdy surface for people and machinery to move around on, and to protect the ground from damage. One ideal solution is Ground Mats from our sister company, Ground Protection Ireland.

Ground mats are available to purchase or hire, and they can be combined with any of EcoMod’s products to suit your specific needs.

 

Have enough portable toilets for your next event

Event planning is your forte, and providing modular solutions to problems like these is ours.

EcoPods can provide a secure, sanitary, and convenient WC solution that is perfect for the setup stage of all kinds of events, from concerts and matches to weddings and charity events – making sure your setup staff are well catered for. EcoPods are also available to hire or purchase, depending on your needs.

For high-quality portable toilet facilities during your event, we can supply fully-fitted units, with or without access to a mains water and waste supply, in no time at all.

This is one thing you don’t want to leave until the last minute, so contact us today to find the perfect portable toilet solution for your next big event.