For more than 60 years, YMCA Camp Kirkwood has provided outdoor experiences for children, families and community organizations across southeastern North Carolina. As the camp continued to grow, its aging network of septic tanks and drain fields had reached the end of its useful life, creating the need for a modern wastewater solution that would support long-term operations while protecting the surrounding environment.
McKim & Creed provided planning, design, permitting and construction-phase services for a new wastewater collection system that transitioned the camp from decentralized septic systems to regional wastewater service. The project included approximately 6,400 linear feet of low-pressure sewer, a new duplex pump station and 2,600 linear feet of force main connecting the camp to the Wallace-Burgaw wastewater system. Existing septic tanks were rehabilitated and repurposed as pretreatment structures, improving system reliability while reducing maintenance and extending the life of the new infrastructure.
Delivered using a design-build approach, the $1.74 million project was substantially completed in just 175 calendar days, allowing the system to be operational before the 2026 summer camp season. The project required close coordination with the YMCA, contractors, utilities and multiple permitting agencies, including establishing the first customer connection within Pender County Utilities’ wastewater service area. Today, the new system provides a sustainable, reliable foundation that allows Camp Kirkwood to focus on its mission of serving campers for generations to come.