Are you planning to install public toilets in a service area?
Service areas along motorways and major communication routes are not simple transit areas; they are also strategic reception places, frequented each day by millions of travellers. Truck drivers, families on holyday, tourists and commuters ‒ all share the same needs for safety, hygiene, comfort and some rest. In this context, public toilets play a central role: not only they represent an essential convenience; they also become a quality indicator of the service area on the whole.
Well-designed and well-kept public toilets contribute to people’s well-being, improve the reputation of the service area manager and can even influence users’ choices, leading them to stop in a certain service area instead of another.
As a division of the Prefabbricati Santerno company, at SANO2 we specialise in the design and construction of public toilets and dedicated facilities, taking into consideration everyone’s needs: in this case, both of those who travel and of those who manage rest areas. Each of our installation combines innovation, resistance and versatility, transforming the facility from a simple amenity into a true added value for the whole area.
A GUIDE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF PUBLIC TOILETS IN SERVICE AREAS
Public toilets in rest areas and service stations: why are they essential, and for whom?
A modern and welcoming service station along major routes cannot be limited to offer parking spots and refreshments points: they must guarantee safe, accessible and comfortable hygienic services. On the one hand, for travellers, the availability of well-kept public toilets improves the quality of breaks and caters to essential needs. When it comes to truck drivers, these include respecting their timetables and resting periods.
For service area managers, on the other hand, modern and functional public toilets are a valid investment in reputation, efficiency and sustainability, because they convey a sense of reliability and care which encourages users to stop, to extend their breaks and to use of all the other services offered.
Finally, for the community on the whole, installing high-quality public toilets means reducing urban decay, improving safety and making public spaces more liveable. In this sense, building modern hygienic facilities is an investment that offers a competitive advantage.
Which characteristics must the perfect public toilets in motorway service areas have?
Travellers stopping at a service area along major communication routes wish to find clean, practical and easy-to-use facilities. Public toilets in these contexts, therefore, must be accessible at all times, comply with every regulation and be all-users inclusive. Consequently, they should envisage solutions for people with motor, visual or hearing disabilities, as well as baby-care areas equipped with changing tables. They ought to feature universal signage that can be easily understood even by those who do not speak the local language. The facilities should provide simple though essential items, such as soap, functioning drying devices, adequate lightning, safe and well-kept spaces – at all times. The utilisation of the public toilets ought to be intuitive thanks to clear instructions. Finally, safety should be ensured through vandal-resistant systems and durable materials, capable to endure even an intensive usage.
In an international context such as motorways, attention to these details becomes a distinctive element. Several features can make this experience accessible for all users: buttons and dispensers located at a height accessible even from a seating position, hand bars and manoeuvring spaces designed for people with reduced mobility. Last but no less important, they should provide audio instructions and automatic door opening systems granting an easy access.
What are the best hygienic solutions SANO2 offers for motorway service areas?
Each service area has different requirements and needs a calibrated answer. That is why in SANO2 we offer a variety of solutions, ranging from autonomous, off-grid toilets, to more traditional models, connected to networks, up to cutting-edge self-cleaning systems.
Series S0 is designed for contexts lacking sewage, water or electric grid connections and it allows for a fast and independent installation thanks to precast units – accessible even for disabled people.
S3, S4 and S5 self-cleaning series, are the most technologically-advanced of our solutions. They guarantee automatic cleaning and sanitisation after each use, as well as reducing managing costs and improving efficiency.
Our public toilets also adapt to different traffic levels: in motorway service areas we suggest highly functional units, capable to host a high number of people on a daily basis.
With our S5 series models, for example, you cannot go wrong! Thanks to these lines, each manager can find the solution which best adapts to their needs, balancing budget, functionality and innovation level.
How can SANO2 public toilets improve service areas?
A service area equipped with safe and modern public toilets immediately becomes more appealing and competitive. Well-kept hygienic facilities improve the overall break experience, encourage travellers to stay longer, to shop in refreshments point and to come back in the future. This translates into economic benefits for managers, strengthening the motorway networks’ image at the same time. From this perspective, it is possible to further equip SANO2 solutions with a wide range of optional features, as timed showers, urinals, external sinks or water dispensers.
For even more articulated configurations, thanks to the collaboration with Prefabbricati Santerno, SANO2 can provide you with different types of modular structures for both refreshment and rest areas. The units will be prepared and equipped to accommodate every type of comfort: from air conditioning to changing rooms, from power sockets for personal devices to data network and spaces for vending machines.
In these contexts of rest and refreshments, public toilets and structures designed for users are essential to make a difference: they represent the keystone around which travellers’ experience revolves. This is why in SANO2 we design solutions capable of balancing with all other services available: we work for the quality and value that users receive.
What kind of support do you offer to those who buy SANO2 public toilets?
We have never limited ourselves to providing a product: we accompany our customers – be they designers, managers, architects or even officials – in any step of the process. From the analysis of specific requirements to installation and maintenance, we offer a constant and customisable support. Our experience allows us to offer modular and technologically advanced solutions, suitable for any context, from the smallest rest areas to international service stations.
We also guarantee fast and precise maintenance interventions, carried out by specialised personnel ‒ to keep our public toilets operational at all times. Our objective, in each project we carry out, is to ensure safety, hygiene and comfort, transforming breaks into a positive and qualifying experience.
How to request a personalised consultation?
If you wish to improve the quality of the services you offer in your rest area, SANO2 is your ideal partner. We offer a complete range of customisable solutions, from traditional public toilets to self-cleaning models, designed to meet the needs of travellers and managers alike.
Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation: we will analyse your context’s specific requirements and we will guide you towards the most suitable solution, illustrating all possible configurations to create a custom-made project.
You can write us an e-mail, call us or fill in the form at the bottom of this page. We will answer ASAP, with the goal of transforming you service area in a safer, more hygienic and welcoming place!
FAQ – Frequently asked questions about SANO2 public toilets
What kinds of facilities and types of toilets can you provide?
We understand that each context has specific needs and requires bespoke solutions. That is why our range includes:
- Public Toilets that can be integrated into existing premises, ensuring maximum adaptability to the available space.
- Freestanding outdoor structures
- Off-grid Public Toilets, when sewer, water and electricity are not available
Our solutions are designed to meet every requirement: whether you need several toilets in a single room or individual toilets, at SANO2 we have the ideal project for your space.
Once you have defined the structure, choose the most suitable type of toilet: off-grid, traditional or self-cleaning, at SANO2 you will find each of these solutions and all the support you need.
I do not have sewage, water or electricity network. Can you provide me with off-grid public toilets?
Absolutely! Our S0 range of off-grid toilets is designed for areas that are far from water, sewerage and electricity networks. SANO2’s Bathroom Zero allows you to install a prefabricated toilet, accessible to disabled users, more durable than a chemical toilet and more versatile than a traditional bathroom. Bathroom Zero has a waste water tank to compensate for the lack of a sewer connection, a water storage tank connected to a rainwater collection system, and two photovoltaic panels to generate the electricity needed to light the facility. Off-grid solutions are highly valued by users for their added value as eco-friendly and sustainable restrooms.
When it comes to materials, fittings and finishes, you are spoilt for choice! Visit the design page of our projects!
With what kind of access can I setup the toilets?
Toilets access systems depend on customers and area of installation requirements, which is why we offer several options.
Access can be free or paid, coin-operated or contactless with Nayax readers (you decide how much to set!).
Again, you can choose the access system equipping the facilities with QR code or tax code reader or a EuroKey.
Do you want to buy a public toilet privately or do you want to respond to a public tender with your toilet project?
Whether you want to buy a public toilet as a private individual or you need a project for a tender, perhaps as a construction company, architect or town hall technician, at SANO2 we design public toilets of all kinds, from off-grid ones to self-cleaning models.
As a global company, one of our main values is respect for the installation context, the regulations in each country, and, above all, respect for the customers’ needs.
Tell us about your project, SANO2 will come to you and find solutions for all your needs.
Do you build Accessible Toilets for disabled users? Can I choose how to equip them?
At SANO2 we design, build and install Accessible Toilet And Unisex Toilet. Accessibility is a core value for us and has always been a part of our offering. As an international company, when we design and build toilets for people with disabilities, we always meticulously comply with regulations in force: each country has its own dimensions, equipment, access and measures specifically designed for safe use by people with reduced mobility.
Our public toilets are fully customisable, you choose the layout. For example, we can include instructions in Braille or record voice commands in the toilet, we can install the hand shower next to the toilet or include SOS buttons easily accessible from the toilet bowl.
You can rely on our experience in this industry and our knowledge of public toilet regulations for disabled users.
Can I get a maintenance contract for my toilet? How do you manage public toilets?
Of course you can! We guarantee our self-cleaning toilets maintenance through our All In service, which is an integral part of our offer. In addition, we can offer a variety of maintenance packages on request, depending on your specific needs.
Our All In maintenance service includes:
- Routine maintenance: cleaning and replenishment of consumables, typically scheduled twice a month
- Predictive maintenance: thanks to our powerful remote control tool we can intervene before components failure, reducing the time the toilet is inefficient.
- Technical maintenance: carried out by specialised technicians, it involves checking all the automatisms, usually scheduled once a month.
- Telephone assistance service: active on working days, we provide assistance and intervene remotelyon the units, solving most of the problems.
Do you have a warranty for your products? For how many years?
Yes, all our toilets are covered by a warranty. By law, the warranty on manufacturing defects is one year, but at SANO2 we have decided to extend it to 2 years to give you greater peace of mind and security in your investment.