As a portable toilet supplier, we don’t always get a whole lot of respect. The porta-potty business has a reputation for being  smelly, dirty, and not the most desirable. But without our services, public areas would be a lot less sanitary. 

In this guide, we answer the question, “Why are porta-potties important for communities?” and address why portable bathrooms are necessary for continued public health and decency standards that most people expect in our communities.

Basic Human Rights

Having a suitable place available to relieve yourself is a basic need, and access should always be a fundamental right. Many different segments of people from gig workers to migrants to truck drivers to prisoners have, historically, been denied access to bathrooms. In each of these situations, the individuals affected described how they felt degraded and demoralized. Simply put, access to portable restrooms fulfill basic human needs and right to access. 

In a similar way, when an event or an organization chooses not to offer restrooms or does not offer enough stalls, they are, essentially, forcing their guests to find alternative ways to take care of their needs. Your guests deserve better than to relieve themselves in a parking lot, alleyway, or the woods. 

Comfort & Cleanliness

We’ve talked about times when portable bathrooms are the only acceptable way to provide a place to do your business. But there are also times when portable toilets provide a better option than what would be available otherwise. In some cases, porta-johns are brought in to offer an upgrade to the facilities that would otherwise be available. Some examples would be: tent camping at a remote campsite, staying at a rustic cabin in the woods, or a wedding reception at an old historical farm venue. In these cases, regular porta-potties provide a clean, safe, sheltered area to use the bathroom instead of the on-site alternative.

This doesn’t even begin to touch on how comfortable luxury restroom trailers are in comparison to standard porta-potties either. If you’re curious, you can find more information here: Rent Luxury Portable Toilets.

Preventing Disease

Throughout history, public health measures have improved which reduced widespread illness from human excrement. Unfortunately, viruses can never be fully eliminated and every year, viruses affect a multitude of people during cold and flu season. Providing well-stocked portable bathroom facilities for individuals to use when they’re outdoors aims to minimize the spread of illness as much as possible.

In the wake of current events, virus outbreaks remain a top concern for event organizers. This is another reason why porta-potties are so important. Event organizers often provide not only bathrooms but also hand sanitizer pumps and hand washing stations. The goal is to create a sanitary environment and help prevent virus or bacteria spread while people are out and about enjoying themselves. Whether it’s a festival, community event, or even just a nearby park or trail, porta-potty rentals help improve public health.

Serving the Underserved

While many of us think of porta-potties in conjunction with outdoor events, people experiencing homelessness use them to meet their personal basic needs. In fact, people without a home or shelter may even use portable bathrooms as a place to get out of the cold or rain. Some cities have public ordinances to prevent this type of use, while other cities provide restrooms to ensure that their homeless population has a place to go to the bathroom and clean their hands in case they cannot get to a shelter. In our opinion, this seems like a very important way to make a difference in a local community. 

Kerkstra Portable Restroom Service Inc. provides portable restroom service across Michigan and luxury restroom trailers for all the states surrounding the Great Lakes. Take a look at our mobile restroom trailers and request a quote today!