Plan an approved potable-water supply, functioning handwashing and utensil-washing arrangements, and wastewater collection and disposal for the entire event. Maricopa County’s temporary-booth guidance specifies warm potable water, a free-flowing spigot and a larger wastewater container. Confirm event registration, each vendor’s permit scope and replenishment arrangements before operating.
What belongs in the event plan?
A temporary event needs a working water and waste arrangement throughout service, not just full containers when the booth opens. Identify who supplies water, who replenishes it and where wastewater goes before vendors arrive. An available hose or drain is not proof that the connection is approved.
Maricopa County's coordinator requirements ask for the water supply, expected guests, food vendors and restroom arrangements. They direct coordinators to submit event registration 30 days before the event. The coordinator also checks each vendor's applicable permit and proposed activity.
Some activities have permit exemptions, while an annually permitted food truck or caterer may need different approval for activities outside its existing scope. The County says temporary and seasonal permits are not issued for farmers' markets. Confirm the applicable path rather than applying one booth rule to every vendor.
Record these water details with the vendor list:
| Item | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Supply | Approved potable source and any permitted hauler |
| Uses | Handwashing, cooking, utensil washing and other approved operations |
| Delivery | Protected containers or approved connection and dedicated hose |
| Continuity | Enough water for the event and an accepted replenishment arrangement |
| Waste | Catch-container capacity, servicing and approved sanitary disposal |
| Responsibilities | Who checks the setup, replenishes supplies and addresses a failure |
The County's event requirements place restrooms or portable toilets at least 25 feet from food vendors. Show their location on the site plan; renting units does not resolve every operating requirement. See temporary restroom planning for the separate facility questions.
What does a temporary booth need for handwashing?
The County's temporary-booth guidance specifies at least one handwash station, with a minimum 5 gallons of potable warm water at 100°F in an insulated container with a free-flowing spigot. It also lists soap, paper towels, a waste receptacle and a wastewater container 15 percent larger than the freshwater container.
The inspection checklist calls for a complete, accessible, functioning station and adequate supplies for the event's duration. A minimum starting container is not a guarantee that its water will last through service. Keep utensil washing separate, using the approved three-compartment or bin arrangement where applicable. Permanent restaurant hand-sink placement answers a different layout question.
How should water and wastewater be handled?
The County's potable-water guidance requires an approved source, dedicated food-grade tanks and hoses, sanitation after maintenance and appropriate backflow protection. A water hauler must have the Department's permit. Irrigation water may be nonpotable, and hydrant water requires prior Department and local-jurisdiction approval.
Store wastewater in the approved tank or bladder arrangement for sanitary-sewer disposal; confirm the disposal location, grease requirements and any hauler approval. Do not empty it onto the ground or into a storm drain. Food-truck disposal approval and vehicle plumbing requirements remain separate unit-specific tasks.
If required water or handwashing fails, do not continue the affected food work. Contact the coordinator and County about the accepted response instead of assuming bottled water replaces the approved setup.