What Is a Portable Sink Station?
A portable sink station is a standalone unit with its own fresh water tank, a pump (foot, hand or battery), a basin, and a gray water tank underneath to catch what goes down the drain. No hookup to a building is needed. Some units run cold only; others are built as a hot water portable sink with a small heater, which matters if your crew is washing up after using paints or coatings, a case where OSHA 1926.51(f)(1) actually applies. Under 29 CFR 1910.141(d)(2), washing facilities need soap and towels or a hand dryer, not just sanitizer, so ask what's stocked before it ships. Lakewood Porta Pros pairs these with portable toilet rental setups constantly, since most job sites and events need both at the same time. If you're already comparing standard porta potty rental options, adding a sink station is a small add-on, not a separate delivery in most cases.
Can I Use a Portable Sink for Hair Washing?
Yes. A portable sink to wash hair works fine as long as the unit has a deep enough basin and a hose or sprayer attachment, which most rental stations include standard. This comes up constantly for wedding restroom rental bookings in Lakewood, where a bride or the whole party wants a proper rinse before photos, and for camping porta potty setups where nobody wants to skip a shower for a week. If a full rinse-and-lather setup is what you're after rather than a basin, a shower trailer rental is the better fit; the sink station is built more for hands, dishes and quick hair rinses than a full shower. For festivals or multi-day gatherings, we've paired sink stations with festival restroom rental packages and with a 4 stall restroom trailer when guest counts push past a couple hundred people.
How Does the Portable Sink Water Tank Work?
Every unit runs on two separate tanks: fresh water in, gray water out, and the two never mix. Fresh water portable sink water tanks typically hold enough for a full day of moderate use before a refill is needed, and our crew tracks that on the same route used for septic pumping service calls, so a refill can often be bundled into a scheduled stop. This is the same separation-of-tanks logic used in a holding tank rental, just scaled down. For a construction crew in Lakewood running a hand-labor operation, OSHA 1928.110 sets a benchmark for agricultural sites: one facility per 20 employees, within a quarter mile walk, with potable water and handwashing included. General construction sites lean on OSHA 1926.51(a)(1), which just requires an adequate supply of potable water at the place of employment, without specifying exact volumes. We size the water tank to your headcount so nobody's walking a quarter mile for a splash of water.
Where Should a Portable Sink Station Be Placed on Site?
Placement follows the same rules as our porta potty placement guide: stable, level ground, close enough to the work zone to actually get used, and clear of any vehicle path. ADA Standards section 302.1 requires the ground surface to be stable, firm and slip resistant, which matters more with a sink station since there's standing water involved. If the sink pairs with an ADA accessible porta potty, keep a 36 inch clear route per ADA Standards section 403.5.1 and make sure the reach to the tap doesn't exceed the 48 inch maximum under ADA Standards section 308.2.1. For job sites bordering a public sidewalk in Lakewood, placement in the right of way needs confirming with the city; we don't guess at that and recommend you check with the City of Lakewood before locking in a spot near the curb. Crews working out toward Wheat Ridge, 5.8 miles north, or Golden, 9.2 miles northwest, run into the same rules, since these are county and state standards, not city-specific ones.
Pricing
| Service | Day | Week | Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard portable sink or handwash pairing | $100-$350 | $130-$500 | $125-$325 |
| Delivery fee | $100-$500 | $100-$150 | $120-$420 |
Pricing above reflects our standard unit bands; a hot water portable sink with a heater element sits at the higher end of the day rate. Weekend rates for short events run separately from these, typically landing between the day and week figures depending on setup complexity. For a broader comparison of daily versus monthly options, see our porta potty rental cost and monthly porta potty rental pages, since sink stations often ride along with the same delivery.
How much water does a portable sink station hold?
Most units carry a 60 to 70 gallon fresh water tank, the same capacity found in a standard porta potty rental unit's holding tank. That's enough for a full day of steady hand or dish washing for a small crew before a refill run is needed.
Do portable sinks need a permit in Lakewood?
Permitting depends on placement, especially near a public right of way, and that specific rule needs confirming with the City of Lakewood before delivery. Check our porta potty permit requirements page for what we do know, and ask us directly if your site borders a sidewalk or street.
Can a portable sink run hot water?
Yes, a hot water portable sink option exists with a small onboard heater, useful for washing up after handling paints or coatings under OSHA 1926.51(f)(1). Standard cold-only units cost less and work fine for most job sites and casual events.
How many portable sinks do I need for my crew?
A rough starting point mirrors toilet ratios: OSHA 1926.51(c)(1) calls for 1 toilet per 20 workers on a construction site, and sink stations generally follow similar logic. Our how many porta potties do i need guide walks through the math for mixed crew sizes.
Does a portable sink work for events instead of a restroom trailer?
A sink station handles handwashing and light rinsing but isn't a substitute for full facilities at larger events. For weddings, festivals or anything over 100 guests in Lakewood, pairing it with an event restroom rental or a 2 stall restroom trailer covers both needs properly.
Next step
Get a delivery date
Tell us the address, the dates and the headcount. We size the order and confirm the route.