How fast can Davis Porta Pros respond to an emergency?
Speed matters most in the first 48 hours after a disaster, when normal plumbing is down and people still need somewhere to go. Davis Porta Pros treats emergency porta potty rental requests as a priority dispatch, pulling from stock already staged for construction site services and event work so units don't have to come from out of town. A standard unit holds a 60 to 70 gallon tank and sits about 44 by 48 inches on the ground, small enough to place on a driveway, a parking strip or a staging lot without heavy equipment. For larger response sites, like a Red Cross shelter or a multi-agency staging area, we can also bring in a restroom trailer rental or a 4 stall restroom trailer if flush facilities and running water matter more than speed. If the location sits within the University of California-Davis service radius, about 2.9 miles southwest of central Davis, or out toward El Macero, 4.5 miles east, we already service those areas regularly and can fold a disaster response stop into the same route. Delivery fees run $100 to $500 for a single drop depending on distance and access, and we quote that upfront so a shelter coordinator or property manager isn't guessing. Ask about a porta potty rental checklist before the trucks roll, since knowing headcount and duration in advance shaves real time off setup.
What sanitation options work for shelters and displaced households?
Not every disaster site needs the same setup. A church gym running as a temporary shelter has different needs than a household waiting on a septic repair after flooding. For shelters expecting steady foot traffic, a portable restroom rental cluster paired with a handwashing station rental covers both toilet access and hand hygiene, and OSHA 1926.51(c) sets the baseline ratio at one toilet for every 20 workers or users on a site, which is a reasonable planning number even outside a jobsite context. Handwashing stations need soap and a way to dry hands, per 29 CFR 1910.141(d)(2); hand sanitizer alone doesn't meet that standard, so we stock stations with real soap dispensers, not just gel. Households whose septic systems failed during flooding may need a holding tank rental while repairs happen, especially since a typical residential tank is pumped every 3 to 5 years under normal conditions and a disaster can push a system past its limit early. If the ground itself is unstable or debris-covered, we can also bring temporary fence rental panels to keep people away from a compromised area, and a light tower rental if the outage has knocked out power at night. For sites with no electricity at all, a temporary power pole can run alongside the sanitation gear. Anyone managing debris cleanup afterward should also look at a roll-off dumpster rental, since storm debris and damaged materials pile up fast and can't sit curbside indefinitely.
Do accessible units come with disaster deployments?
Yes, we can deploy ADA-compliant units alongside standard ones on any emergency job, and we recommend it whenever the population served is unknown, which is usually the case in a disaster. ADA Standards section 213.2 requires that at least 5 percent of a cluster of single-user units be accessible, with a minimum of one, so even a modest deployment of ten units in Davis should include an accessible unit. Those units meet a 60 inch turning circle under ADA 304.3.1 and a 32 inch clear door opening under ADA 404.2.3, which matters when someone's using a wheelchair or a walker on ground that may already be uneven from flooding or storm damage. An ada accessible porta potty rents for $200 to $400 a day, and we can hold that pricing for the length of a multi-week response if the situation calls for it, similar to how a monthly porta potty rental works for longer jobs. If the disaster response includes a command post or volunteer coordination site, a storage container rental or mobile office trailer rental can double as dry storage for supplies. Davis Porta Pros also serves the wider county footprint, including Dixon at 10.5 miles southwest and Winters at 14.8 miles west, so a regional disaster isn't limited to help arriving only from inside city limits.
How much does emergency sanitation cost during a disaster?
Standard units run $100 to $350 a day depending on quantity and duration, with weekly rates between $130 and $500. Delivery fees range $100 to $500. We quote based on unit count, site access and how long the deployment runs, since emergency response length is rarely known upfront.
How many toilets does a shelter need?
OSHA 1926.51(c) sets one toilet per 20 people as a baseline. A shelter housing 60 people should plan for at least three units, more if turnover is high. Use our how many porta potties do i need guide for exact counts.
Can you deliver on short notice, even overnight?
Often yes. Davis Porta Pros stages units for construction and event clients across Davis, which lets us redirect stock quickly. Call ahead with a rough headcount and address so we can confirm a same-day or next-day window.
What if the site has no clean water access?
We pair units with a portable sink rental or handwashing station that carries its own water supply. This keeps hygiene functional even when a building's plumbing is offline.
Do you service areas outside Davis proper?
Yes. We regularly cover University of California-Davis, El Macero, Dixon, Winters and Monument Hills, listed on our service areas page, and can extend emergency response to any of them.
Next step
Get a delivery date
Tell us the address, the dates and the headcount. We size the order and confirm the route.