March 3-10

This week we had the annual inspection of the Indralaya septic system. Everything checked out in good shape. The system is actually composed of six different sub-systems that serve different areas of the camp.

The largest of the sub-systems is also the newest. This project was a significant change from the old gravity-based systems that it replaced. All of the water is pumped to holding tanks and eventually ends up in a large drainfield that is located in the eastern half of the meadow.

meadow drainfield

 waste water distribution box near the teepee

It was installed in 2002 at a cost of $62,000, and processes waste water from the dining hall, the waterfront cabins, the library, roundhouse, Spruce, Apple and Wisteria cabins. It also includes a 1,000 gallon grease trap that is dedicated solely to water that comes from the kitchen sinks. 

kitchen grease trap lids

holding tanks near the roundhouse & library

waterfront septic tank lids and pump control panel near Ocean Spray

The other five sub-systems serve individual buildings: the Upper Nessie, the Solarium, the RMC, Juniper cabin, and Moss cabin.

upper nessie

Before any septic was installed, there were several outhouses in various locations around the camp. The last of these old outhouses, which had not been in service for many years, was located just above Madrona cabin. It was finally demolished 8 or 9 years ago during one of the family weeks.

There are any number of stories about the trials and tribulations of the septic system over the years. For many years, the septic system was tended by the legendary Ray family, including Wilma Ray and her son Wesley.

There is one well known story about the time the septic tanks in front of what was then the new dining hall failed just at the peak of the summer season. Wilma advised camp manager John Abbenhouse that the quickest way to resolve the problem would be to pump the tanks and deposit the waste somewhere in the forest (the times were clearly different than they are now!). John is said to have had a gleam in his eye as he envisioned the beautiful compost that would one day be available for the garden from this once in a lifetime opportunity. Unfortunately the exact location of the deposit was forgotten over the years and to the best of our knowledge, this particular treasure still lies somewhere out in the forest unused and neglected.

outside the dining hall

Many of today’s campers are familiar with the odor that arises near the solarium. Sometimes it is the food waste in the worm beds that we smell, sometimes it is something else. This is probably the oldest of the current sub-systems and is the only one for which the tank lids are still the old-style concrete blocks. Lifting these lids out is some true heavy lifting.

the solarium 

The septic tank at Moss cabin is an egg-shaped plastic tank that was installed during a work party. Trent Blackburn spent many hours hand digging the new hole for the tank and eventually reached the bedrock underlying the soil. As a result, the top of the tank sticks out of the ground about 1 or 2 feet and the soil has been built up around it.

plastic tank at Moss Cabin

I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief tour of this critical component of the Indralaya infrastructure. Coming next week, a report on the Indralaya town meetings that are being held in Bellingham and Vancouver this coming weekend.