Portable Restrooms in the Near North Side, Chicago

Where does a unit actually go on a block like this?

Start by ruling out what is not available. On the Near North Side there are few vacant lots, and sidewalks and travel lanes are public ways. Inside a construction site's own fence, a unit can sit on private property; the Chicago Plumbing Code asks that nonsewer facilities there be sanitary, serviced and at least 5 feet from property lines.

A provider therefore asks different questions here than it would for a field. Is there a loading dock or a fenced yard? How wide is the street where the truck will stop? Can it reach the unit's spot with a clear path for removal? Which hours is the block quiet? Give straight answers and the provider can say whether it can serve for your plan.

You never move, empty or tip a unit yourself. That is servicing, and the provider does it. If your project needs more than a handful of units, read portable toilet servicing so you know what to ask about frequency.

Is film work the main outside demand?

Filming on the Near North Side's streets and sidewalks needs a permit from the Chicago Film Office, at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington, Room 100. The office requires a minimum of 3 full business days to process a permit for filming that affects streets, sidewalks or other public ways. If a crew needs restrooms, the date and the curb come from that permit, and the call to us comes right after.

Shoots have a pattern that suits portable sanitation: a base camp, a fixed number of cast and crew, a known day count. A provider can plan around that if you give it the hours and the load-in route. See film shoot restrooms for what a request should include.

What do towers and constant renovation need?

Because the Near North Side has so many skyscrapers, much of its building work is vertical, and the plumbing code addresses that: at least one toilet per 30 employees or fraction, and in a multi-story building no floor more than four stories from a story with toilet facilities. OSHA's 29 CFR 1926.51(c) adds counts of its own, and where the two differ, the stricter one governs. The project's permit office confirms the number.

Renovation work is smaller but constant: a gut job in a commercial loft, a facade project on a Magnificent Mile frontage. For those, the call is shorter, and a provider that serves the area can often say fast whether it can serve. High-rise construction toilets explains the larger jobs. Call (888) 351-0294 when your location and dates are set.

Permitted street events, Navy Pier crowds and the Magnificent Mile

The Magnificent Mile, the Water Tower and Navy Pier bring visitors in numbers that a residential neighborhood never sees, and permitted events follow them. An event that uses a public way is permitted through the city; the Mayor's Office of Special Events lists (312) 744-3315. We cannot tell you what a given permit will allow.

The headcount rule is the same as anywhere in Chicago. Toilets for a temporary event must meet the minimum quantity in the Chicago Plumbing Code; more than 30 people present needs at least 2 toilets, and above 600 people the code adds 1 for every additional 300 or fraction of 300. If food is sold, the Chicago Department of Public Health's Food Protection Services reviews special-event booth applications.

We found no Chicago ratio for accessible units or for handwash stations, so we state none. Ask the provider about ADA accessible portable toilets and handwashing stations when you describe the crowd. The provider decides what it can serve and what it recommends.