Porta-Potties
For your convenience and sheer relief, there are a plethora of porta-potties distributed throughout Black Rock City. They can be found on radial streets, off the 2:00 and 10:00 arms, and out in the open playa. Inside the city grid proper, the potty banks can be found along an inner and outer ring.
The inner street potties are located on the radial streets on the blocks between C & D Streets, and the outer street potties are located on the radials between G & H Streets.
Because 3:00 and 9:00 host major Plazas, medical infrastructure, and heavy foot traffic, their banks are pushed slightly outward to D Street for the inner ring and between H & I Streets for the outer ring. The 6:00 radial mirrors this expansion, with an outer bank positioned between H & I Streets.
They’re emptied around the clock by a fleet of trucks that make a continuous 24/7 circuit once the city fills up. Please be considerate of other BRC residents and their porta-potty needs by keeping the lid down, and not dumping garbage in the potties. The rule of thumb is “if it didn’t come out of your body, it doesn’t go in the potty!” And that includes baby wipes!
If you have specific questions regarding porta-potties, please contact sanitation@burningman.org.
Sanitation for RVs
If you choose to bring a recreational vehicle RV), read the RV Guidelines. There is no dumping station in Black Rock City, and you will not be allowed to dump on the playa. The Bureau of Land Management is on site during the event and does issue citations for the dumping of gray or black water.
RV servicing will be available for a fee. Visit our Authorized Outside Service providers list for more details about this year’s service providers and to arrange service in advance.
Just flag ’em down!
It is highly recommended to visit the sanitation office at Fire & Services (6:30 past the outer road) to buy a voucher before you flag down a truck. Vouchers can be purchased with cash or cards are accepted at its playa office with a surcharge.
The trucks that service RV’s make their rounds between 9am and 9pm, and they have an amber flashing light on the top and a big “RV ONLY” sign on the side. The trucks patrol their “zones” in the city all day, and you can flag them down for service as they roam their quadrants, or stop them while they’re in the broader neighborhood and request a local visit.
Make sure that there is someone at your camp to show the driver where to pump AND to give them your prepaid voucher. You may pay in cash, but it is discouraged. If they can’t get to your rig they’re not going to be able to service it. Leave a space for the service truck to get to your RV; pump hoses cannot reach beyond 30 feet.