When it comes to dealing with sewage, the best solution isn’t the same for everyone.

That’s why a Comprehensive Assessment Report (CAR), which will examine the sewage treatment systems in place and determine whether they are appropriate for the site, is long overdue at Crane Lake. The Crane Lake Water and Sanitary District Board shares that view, but may differ over how to proceed with the process.

The issue came to head after the CLWSD Board considered a costly and likely unnecessary extension of a sewer line to Bear Island to treat wastewater generated there. Many of the island’s residents have invested tens of thousands of dollars in individual sewage treatment systems and regular maintenance of those systems. In fact, the effluent from some of those systems would be better than effluent released from the township’s wastewater plant.

The CLWSD Board has scrapped the proposal for an extended pipeline and now is willing to consider other options, including allowing many individual sewage treatment systems to remain in operation, provided they meet or exceed compliance standard.

The CAR would help compile that information, using existing records as well as on-site inspections to develop a picture of how sewage is being treated throughout the district.

Sara Heger, an extension specialist on water resources and sewage treatment programs with the University of Minnesota, is providing her expertise and reviewed how sewage management districts operated during a well-attended public hearing at the Crane Lake Fellowship Chapel on July 9.

As she explained, the ideal is to meet or exceed compliance standards using the least costly method possible. Solutions could range from holding tanks to capture waste at outhouses, to hooking up to the district’s existing sewage plant.

A number of factors will determine which system makes the most sense, including the site’s location, the soil at the site and the practicality of installing such a system for the site.

The board had been set to act on awarding the work of conducting the CAR following the hearing, but a split over how to proceed put the issue back on the agenda for the Aug. 5 meeting.

Some on the board said the assessment should be expanded to include all remaining parcels in the district instead of just focusing on Bear Island and the Handberg Road section. Others said the assessment could be done in stages beginning with Bear Island and Handberg Road.

We would side with those who are ready to proceed now with the work. While Bill Congdon’s concern that grant money to replace failing systems should go where the need is greatest has merit, that’s no reason to put off the work that could be accomplished now. The district always has the option not to commit grant funds until the full assessment is done, but if significant problems are discovered, they can be dealt with more swiftly.

Regardless of how the board decides to proceed on Aug. 5, conducting a CAR is a step in the right direction. It allows the district to consider a multitude of options for treating sewage, while setting parameters for the maintenance of those systems. It could also save residents, especially those who already invested heavily in keeping the lake and surrounding environment safe from harm, from paying great fees. One option under consideration would allow the board to establish a two-tier fee system with a reduced fee for those who agree to cover the replacement or repair of their systems, if necessary, out of their own pockets.

The common goal of all those at the July 9 hearing was to protect and improve the quality of the water at Crane Lake. A CAR will help identify the best and most practical solutions for achieving that objective.