Jenifer’s Shelter Island Journal: Holy Holey

The above headline is not as wholly inappropriate as it may first appear. 

See, about a week and a half ago, they came to dig the hole for the new septic system, which was finally being installed at my house on the corner of West Neck and Midway. Not that my old farmhouse couldn’t have used some upgrading in that department anyway, but with the somewhat overgrown addition we’ve attached to her, a whole new system was mandated.

That cutting edge new system is worth at least some cursory discussion, given the beneficial impact it will have, hopefully — one system at a time — on our environment, but first I have to talk about the hole.

Of course I’ve seen big excavations for houses, for pools, and am aware of huge, cavernous spaces, many of which have been created by humans, like mines, dams and tunnels, for instance, and some by nature, like the Grand Canyon. But I’m talking about this particular hole, in my particular yard.

My daughter saw it before I did and sent me pictures — impossible pictures. Fifteen minutes later, in the gathering dusk, I stood as close as I could (probably too close) to the edge of what I can only describe as an immense, seemingly fathomless, crater.

For once speechless, I gaped at it with a mixture of horror and utter awe.  Though somebody was saying something about it not even being close to the deepest hole they’d dug, I would’ve sooner believed that a comet had crashed to earth. All that was missing was the sizzle.

That hole, dug so deeply into the breast of my acre, made me understand that it wasn’t “my acre” at all, that it belongs to our planet, a part of its heart, its secrets, its soul, while we humans go scurrying about our thoughtless business up on its surface, ignorant of the miracle that sustains us all just beneath our feet.

At least this hole was being dug for a good purpose. Our State, our County and Town are part of The Suffolk County Septic Improvement Program which encourages homeowners to considering installing I/A (“Innovative/Alternative”) septic systems, for the benefit of the environment and  themselves. James Eklund, chair of the Shelter Island Water Quality Improvement Project Advisory Board (and, full disclosure, my younger brother), said the following in a phone interview yesterday: “Installing an A/I system is a great benefit for Shelter Island in its efforts to clean up Shelter Island’s water.  Not only does it reduce the Nitrogen, among other harmful elements in the water we drink, but the water that surrounds our Island. There’s lots of things people can do beyond installing an A/I system. For instance, the pesticides and fertilizers we use can find their way into the water. If we all do a little bit, we can accomplish a lot towards preserving and protecting our environment.”

For all the sense an I/A system seems to make, and even with the excellent information above about its benefits in general, I strongly advise anyone interested to do their homework, The following is part of a pdf article I found on shelterislandtown.gov:  “How does an I/A OWTS [Onsite Wastewater Treatment System] benefit the homeowner? In addition to providing environmental benefits and reducing the nitrogen load to ground and surface waters, homeowners receive many other benefits from these state-of-the-art technologies. I/A OWTS can be more cost effective than conventional systems on lots with significant site constraints such as high groundwater, poor soils, small restrictive lot size, and coastal area. In addition, I/A OWTS consist of separate components, all of which are replaceable if something goes wrong. A homeowner may have to replace a pump or blower after 10 years, but they should not have to dig up and replace the system as is common with conventional systems. See the Septic Improvement Program website on information related to costs associated with owning an I/A OWTS. Replacing an old block cesspool with an advanced treatment system reduces the uncertainty of if and when the block cesspool will collapse.” 

Happy thought.

Another aspect to an I/A installation specifically, is the fact that the State, the County and the Town have financial resources available to off-set the costs of installation for those who qualify, which is a godsend, of course, if you can make it through the very complex application process.

Thankfully, one of my brilliant daughters “helped” me through the arduous process — a perfect example for why we have children. However, if like me, you’re less than techno-literate, I strongly suggest that you find a brilliant daughter of your own, or a reasonable facsimile.

The hole was filled in and the rest of the installation completed within 48 hours, but the lesson it taught me remains: This Planet Earth is … yes, holy.