One big fair improvement that nobody will ever see

One of the major improvements to the Palouse Empire Fair this year is something fairgoers will not see. It also can be rated as the most critically needed addition to the facility.

During last year's fair, the disposal system for the fair's main restroom installation failed. The failure led to a shutdown of the restrooms which are located on each side of the entrance to the community building.

"It just totally failed," Fair Manager Bob Reynolds said.

He said a pump truck had to be called to the fair in the early morning hours to pump out the septic tank three times during the run of the last year. Even with the daily pump job the restrooms had to be temporarily shut down during the day's operation. People had to be diverted to other restrooms around the fairgrounds.

Overall, the fair's septic system amounts to approximately 12 septic disposal tanks around the grounds. The tanks are all fitted with covers which are periodically removed and pumped out.

The restroom failure during last year's fair immediately changed the priority for projects for the grounds. Also, something had to be done quickly because the fair had booked a series of fall wedding receptions which families had planned for months.

Reynolds said the fair received approval from the county commissioners for emergency funding to get the septic system replaced. They contracted with Palouse River Rock to get the project completed in time to accommodate the families who had booked the community building.

"We actually finished the job while one of the families was setting up for their wedding," Reynolds explained.

Ben Kovanda of Palouse River Rock designed the new installation. Figuring the capacity of the new system started with determining the top demand during the run of the fair.

After charting that number, the installation was set up with an extra capacity margin to prevent any future crisis mode which hit the fair last year.

"It has an extra margin of capacity to serve the fair, and that means it will be easily capable of serving the special events that we book into the community building during the year," Reynolds said.

Excavation for the system was done in the segment of the fairgrounds between the Jones Schoolhouse and Old McDonald's Barn.

Kovanda noted they found many sections of the old drain field had collapsed over the years and that was one of the failures in the system.

The installation includes a series of two holding tanks, one for 1,000 gallons and one for 2,500 gallons along with 500 feet of drainage fields.

The drainage field installation features the new dome chamber design which spans across the bottom width of the ditch. Reynolds said the hood design, which resembles a Quonset hut profile, is open on the bottom side to encourage infiltration.

The installation also includes stainless steel installations to discourage gopher infiltration, Reynolds added.

The project was completed in approximately two weeks and the area was covered and seeded to grass. During the last four or five months, fair caretakers have worked to get a new lawn area growing over the site, and wedding receptions and other events have continued through the summer.

Reynolds expects revenue from the wedding receptions and other events will surpass the cost of the installation.

The area again will serve as the site for the fair's dog show competition, and temporary vendor booths will be located along the walkways which border the site.

For Reynolds, the project was a critical improvement for the fair, and it removes what became a major headache in the four-day run of the fair last year.