WASHINGTON - For Ariel Gonzalez and her brother Raul, the owners of Jiffy Johns in Capitol Heights, Md., "[t]his is the Super Bowl of toilet events."

The company has supplied portable toilets for many mega events in Washington, including the Million Man March, Fourths of July on the National Mall and previous inaugurations. Those events required between 250 and 300 units. The National Park Service hasn't publicly released any numbers for this coming Inauguration, but Jiffy Johns says it will be big.

"From the figures ... I was going over with them, they're estimating they're going to need at least 4,000 to 5,000 portable toilets," said Raul Gonzalez.

"I love being in the portable toilet business," added Ariel Gonzalez.

Jiffy Johns has a big inventory, but it says they have nowhere near enough for this event. The company is partnering with other providers that are part of national chains.

"They do have other offices in the country that they can get portable toilets from, have them trucked in here and we can work with them, delivering to different sites in the District, where the National Park Service would instruct us to place them," said Raul Gonzalez. 

D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (web | news | bio) has called for both government and private buildings to open areas to the public 'for cold weather and access to restrooms.'

Some area churches, such as Capitol Hill United Methodist, also plan to stay open on Inauguration day.

"You can walk on in here," said Rev. Alisa Lasater. "We will have something warm for you to drink and a place where you can watch the festivities."

The National Park Service's Web site says it requires one portable toilet for every 300.  Estimates for the number of inaugural attendees have ranged between 1.5 million and 5 million.  According to the Park Service's requirements, the estimates would require between 5,000 and 17,000 units.

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