Provide Comfortable Restrooms Anywhere

To ensure your park or site will attract patrons and keep them coming back for recreational activities, it is important to consider their comfort. Providing shade to get out of the sun, comfortable spots for sitting and picnicking, and restrooms that are clean, safe and as aesthetically pleasing as possible are smart strategies for improving your site. There are many choices when it comes to restrooms for your site, though your selection will be driven by budget, time and site constraints. Most people feel that flush restrooms are the most comfortable, but it can be expensive and time-consuming to get utilities where you need them. In cases like this, you can go with a vault restroom, or you can look for restroom solutions that provide a more pleasing visitor experience.

Q: We are looking to add vault restrooms at our site, but are concerned about how visitors will perceive them. What are some of the problems associated with vault restrooms?

A: If you ask visitors to your site, you'll likely find that they overwhelmingly prefer flush restrooms to vault toilets. Innovations in design have made vault toilets less offensive over the years, but they can still present unpleasant odors during periods of heavy use or when there is a lack of air movement around the structure. To boot, most patrons will find the view into the vault displeasing, and it can give an unsanitary impression. On top of all this, with no running water, you have no way to provide for handwashing, which further emphasizes the unsanitary impression.

If you have water and sewer lines available, a flush restroom is almost always a better choice. But in remote or more natural locations, this might not be possible, making an alternative necessary.

Q: Is it possible to find a flush restroom solution that is cost-effective and can be installed in locations without utility connections?

A: Innovative design and development has led to a restroom structure that features all of the self-contained features of vault toilets, with the added benefit of creating a flush restroom experience. You can find restroom buildings that are nearly waterless available at a cost that is not much different from a concrete vault toilet. You will not have to spend time and money extending utilities or creating water, sewer and power hookups, but will still be able to provide a more pleasant restroom experience. With no need for utility connections, this sort of restroom can be installed in virtually any location.

Q: What about sustainability?

A: Look for a flush restroom that combines green technology with water conservation. Solar power can be used to power fixtures and lights. By using extreme water conservation measures, water usage can be reduced as much as 90 percent. These measures include one-quart per flush toilets, capture and re-use of sink water for flushing, and waterless urinals. In some locations, adding rainwater harvesting can supply the restroom with almost all the needed water.