In total agreement with Walteib: It is totally irresponsible for cottage owners to let their systems become outdated and dangerous to the environment.

We had our system replaced six years ago and just had it cleaned and emptied -- still operating like new -- we clean the sandpoint and replace it every five or six years. ...great idea to check and upgrade systems when they change hands; obviously a good investment by the new owner and not one that should be absorbed by all of us who already take care of their systems.

I was at a meeting of the Friends of Sauble two years ago when they were in the middle of their initial studies of the dunes. At this meeting the health inspector was quite adamant that the quality of water at the beach was quite high and that the quality of the filtration system afforded by the sand at Sauble was the best in the country and maybe the world. Although the Friends of Sauble do not have a mandate that includes the quality of the water at the beach, it was made quite obvious at this meeting that the beach environment was more than capable of handling the septic (for lack of a better word) that the beach would produce.

Sleepy Town

What has made Sauble Beach so special to people through the years?
I think this blog will just be a bunch of my memories about how special Sauble Beach really is and was. I remember when I was a kid in the fifties. We just couldn't wait to get into the car on Friday evening and make the two or three hour trip to the cottage.

Even in the dead of winter, weekends were an adventure we always looked forward to. In the worst of weather, we kids would visit with the Ards (now the Home Hardware on the main drag) while our parents attempted to get heat into the old cottage. It didn't take long for my dad to prime the old green pump in the kitchen...once the rust was clear, I couldn't wait to drink that wonderful Sauble water. Sure, it had an iron taste to it, and yes, it often caused a little distress in the outhouse for a few hours..but boy, did it ever taste good.

It wasn't until I had grown a little older that I could appreciate how wonderful it was to have your own water. We even had an old rain barrel to collect water to wash the clothes and our hair. I still remember helping my dad install indoor plumbing...I think that we had one of the first hot water heaters on the beach. All of the neighbours used to come and "borrow the tub" for a nice hot bath.