Crane Beach in Ipswich, MA has been a landmark in the coastal Northeast for close to a century. Families have flocked to this gorgeous beach for decades. Operated and maintained by The Trustees of the Reservations as a recreation spot, it is also a conservation area that serves as the home of a wildlife refuge and the nesting grounds for the endangered piping plover.
With the old restrooms and septic system nearing their end of life, the Trustees sought to rebuild using state of the art, environmentally friendly technology. After 15 years of planning and researching, they recently demolished the vintage bathhouse to make way for a more sustainable, eco-compatible building. The new bathhouse encloses a zero-discharge, Clivus composting waste treatment system that will protect the surrounding conservation lands from harmful nutrients while reducing fresh water usage and waste. Plant life and wildlife alike will benefit from the absence of nitrogen commonly found in toilet waste that can be detrimental to their delicate ecosystems. Printable case study