How often does a portable toilet need emptying?
It depends on how many people use each toilet. Enter your numbers to see how often.
6 to 10people per toilet: empty it weekly
Emptying calculator
Count everyone who uses the toilets on a normal day.
Keep planning
For one to three people per toilet, monthly. For six to ten, weekly. At an event, a toilet handles about 50 people for four hours.
The rule of thumb
| People using each toilet daily | Empty it |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Monthly |
| 4-5 | Fortnightly |
| 6-10 | Weekly |
| More than 10 | More often, or add a toilet |
| An event | About every 4 hours per 50 people; at least daily |
Hire companies' figures differ a little at the edges. Where they disagree we use the stricter one. Emptying is normally included in the price for building sites and long hires; check the quote says how often.
Signs it needs emptying now
- The flush water has stopped looking blue.
- You can smell it from outside.
- The floor or seat is visibly dirty, or toilet paper and sanitiser have run out.
A sewer-connected toilet, plumbed into the drains, never needs pumping out. It's worth asking about for long renovations and for building sites with a sewer point.