Like many U.S. cities, Philadelphia doesn’t have enough public restrooms to meet the demand. Public restrooms are important for all members of the community. They help to make public spaces accessible to everyone.

Historically, the City has addressed the need for public restrooms in Philadelphia by maintaining temporary portable restrooms (porta-potties) in high-traffic areas. Now, the City’s five-year budget includes funding to support a pilot project for a new type of public restroom: the “Philly Phlush.” The goal of this pilot is to provide a permanent, well-maintained option that is more attractive to a broad group of people. This includes families, tourists, businesses, and underserved individuals.

For this pilot, Philadelphia has selected a stand-alone restroom model that has been installed in over 20 cities and is known for being durable and easy to clean. The model discourages crime with graffiti-proof walls and open grating that shows just enough to see if and how many people are inside. The model is ADA compliant, and it can fit a bicycle, a stroller, or two adults and a child.

There are currently two Philly Phlush locations in Philadelphia. Funding for the pilot will support the expansion of the pilot through summer 2026.

Philly Phlush Locations

For more detailed instructions on how to find each restroom and locate all of its features, visit Helping you find and use the City’s “Philly Phlush” public restrooms.

Inside the Philly Phlush

Each public restroom in Philadelphia’s pilot includes the following features:

• Baby changing table.
• External handwashing station and hand sanitizer.
• Free menstrual products.
• Container to safely dispose of used sharps. This includes needles, syringes, and other sharp drug or medical tools which are dangerous to people and pets.
• Free naloxone. Naloxone (Narcan®) is a nasal spray used to prevent an opioid overdose.
• Signs on the unit with hours of operations, instructions on how to submit a service request, and other important phone numbers to connect individuals with services to ensure their health and well-being.

Two views of a Philly Phlush public restroom.

Cleaning and maintaining the Philly Phlush

The public restrooms are cleaned and maintained by staff from the Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction (SUPHR) division of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. These public restroom specialists previously cleaned the City’s porta potties and have transitioned to maintaining the permanent models. They are a visible presence in communities and work to engage individuals and connect them to critical resources like shelter, food, treatment, and clothing. Find out more about SUPHR and other harm reduction efforts.

Public restroom specialists from the Department of Public Health.

The public restroom specialists lock each unit at night and unlock them in the morning. The public restrooms are cleaned when they are opened, closed, and multiple times throughout the day. If the public restrooms need to be cleaned, restocked, or repaired outside of the regular schedule, users can:

• Submit a service request with an online form.
• Call 311 on Monday – Fridays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Leave a voicemail at 215-218-2100 on evenings and weekends when 311 is not available.

Engaging the community

Before installing a new Philly Phlush, the City conducts a community engagement process to allow residents to share their concerns about the site selection. Learn more about the community engagement process for the pilot’s current locations. If you would like to be updated on future opportunities for engagement, please email publicrestooms@phila.gov to stay connected.