Porta Potty Rental in Germantown, Philadelphia

What does the Cliveden reenactment mean for a toilet order?

More than 300 reenactors muster along a two-block stretch of Germantown Avenue on the first Saturday of October, with spectators on top of that. The event's organisers handle their own arrangements, but nearby businesses and block groups sometimes want a unit of their own for staff or volunteers.

If you are one of them, ask the organiser first so a unit does not end up on a route or a historic lawn. Then give the provider the cross street, the side of the avenue and the hours when traffic is restricted. A closed stretch of Germantown Avenue is a stretch a truck may not drive.

The event portable toilets page explains what the provider needs to hear.

Which permits apply to a street event on Germantown Avenue?

Street events on Germantown Avenue need a Streets Department festival closure application, and a public-event portable toilet needs a Department of Public Health permit. The permit costs $50 per location and the city says to expect about 10 to 14 days.

Allow time for both. The Office of Special Events is the one-stop shop for parades, festivals and runs, and its application asks for the total number of portable restrooms, so decide the count before filing. A provider can help you think about unit types, including an accessible unit; see ADA accessible portable toilets.

How do historic grounds change where a unit can stand?

Cliveden dates from 1767, and Vernon Park holds a stone and bronze monument. Historic grounds belong to a trust or the city, and their managers decide what stands where. A rental company cannot grant that.

Ground matters as well. A heavy unit on a lawn can leave marks, and a service truck needs a firm approach. Tell the provider what the surface is and let it recommend a spot with the site manager.

What about a renovation or a long project in Germantown?

For a renovation on an older property, the questions are the ones that apply across the city: frontage, permission and servicing. A portable chemical toilet in a residential area must be serviced at least every 48 hours, and winters bring an average January low near 27 F. See hot and cold weather servicing.

Who needs an accessible unit at a Germantown public event?

A public event draws people of every age and ability, and an accessible unit belongs in the count from the start rather than being added when someone asks. A flushable restroom trailer is another option for a bigger crowd, depending on the ground and the truck access; see flushable restroom trailers for how they compare.

Handwashing matters too, especially if food is sold along the avenue. A handwash station is rented separately from a toilet, and the provider can tell you what it has free.

How do you tell the provider where Germantown Avenue is closed?

A closed avenue is a street a truck may not use, so give the provider the exact blocks, the closure hours and the side streets that stay open. The Streets Department application you file for the festival closure will show these; share it. Planning delivery for the evening before, or collection after the closure lifts, is usually easier than trying to get through at a busy hour, but only the provider can say what it can do.

What does an October event in Germantown mean for servicing?

Early October can still be mild, but a gathering that runs into the evening gets cold quickly as the season turns toward the January average low near 27 F. For longer, colder events the provider plans a winter additive. Ask about it if your event is late in the season, and have someone on site who can meet the truck on servicing day.