Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-07
PLANNING BIG SEWERS
Superintendent McComb Looks
Fifty Years Into the Future.
DETAILS OF HIS PROJECT.
The Drainage Of the Low Areas Of the
City-DisposaI of Sewage by Dis
charge Into Deep Watcr-Cnpt. Lusk's
Rennarks on the Plan.

On February 10. 1890. the superintendent of
sewers submitted a report upon the disposal OF
the sewage of the District. Capt. Lusk also
made a report upon the subject and the two re-
ports were submitted TO the Commissioners to-
day. Capt Lusk says:
Owing 70 the existence through the business
portion of Washington of the depression for
merly occupied by the Washington canal, 10
which the drainage Of a largo area is tributary.
the question of sewage disposal is inseparshiy
connected with that Of protecting the low area
in question from flooding due to local rainfall.
as well as from overflow during extraordinary
freshets in the Potomac. Two questions there
fore arise. as follows:
Ist. Disposal of the sewage. I'd. Protect
ing the low area from overflow.
SEWAGE DISPOSAL
So far as | am able 10 discover. no reliable
Saugings of the low water discharge of the
Potomac have been made for "a quarter Of a
century. A series of gaucinSs was in coatem-
platiou for the purposes of TINS report. but
could MOI be undertaken for the reasons stated.
1t Is probable. however. that the character OF
the surface OF the drainage area has not so
changed III the interval named as to greatly
affect the mean discharge for the low water
season. This appears to be ample to safely d.
lutte the sewage due TO "a population of half a
million. ii the point of Outfall be properly
chosen. 1t l Hot thought probable that the
limit OF population named vii. be reached be-
fore 1925.
therefore recommend the adoption of the
method OF crude disposal instead of any of the
more costly methods. which. on a scale suited
10 the needs of the District. may be termed
experimental 50 far ar concerns their applica-
ton within the United States
THE POINT OF oUrFAIL.
To determine this point with certainty a
jected. 1t was found practicable to complete
hut little of this work. and what WIS dCne was
at somewhat unfHvOrable stages OF the river.
From theoretical considerations, however, / am
led to believe that the discharge in front of
the city of any large proportion of the sewage
will prove objectionable before the lapse Of
many years. | therefore recommend that a
point of OutfSil be chosen far enough from the
mouth OF the Eastern Branch to prevent tine
sewage from reaching that estuary. except ~
a greatly diluted state. The precise location
of the point adopted should be left to DE de-
termiueG by hOtt experiments yet to be made.
but l.. 1 believe. to be sought rather below
than above the mouth of the Eastern Branch,
a. recommended by Mr.. McComb.
The method which | should propose Is that,
practically speaking, ali OF the sewage be COL
Iected by a system Of intercepting sewers, con-
ycycd 20 a central pumping station and there
pumped to a sufficient height to enable it to
t!o- through a slphon under the Eastern
IEduCH anu lNtnCt DN a sewer VI the punt
chosen for the discharge into the Potomac.
INTERFERING SEWERS.
These. as needed at present or likely to be
demanded in tie near future. are as follows.
from the eastward: For sewage-1. Anacostia
left bank interceptor: 2, Anacostia right bank
interCeptOr; 3. Washington canal interceptOr;
4. James Creek canal interceptor; ), TIber val
lev interceptOr: 8. Water street interceptOr: Z,
Rock creek valley lntercePting system.
PROTECTION OF THE Low AREA.
II has been proposed to raise this area above
the level of the highest observed freshet in the
Potomac. The actual cost of the work to be
done in raising the streets and alleys and in
providing new pavements, sewers, water and
gas mains. &C.. would be great. while the adj
dItiOual expenditures OH account OF damage to
property. interruption and destruction OF bust
ness and claims for injury to health. would, |
believe. make the ultimate outlay far beyond
what is required for a complete and satisfactory
solution of the question. To keep ont the
Hood waters or the Potomac requires only that
the sewers should be 50 arranged as not to give
entrance TO those waters and thata dyke should
be raised at the upper end of the valley of the
Washington canal and one near the lower end
of the James Greek canal. The locations of
these dykes as by Mr.. McComb
will. i believe. prove satisfactory.
A stOrm-water lRtCrceptor should be built
along + street north through the White Lot
ana on Or street ana New York avenue, dis
charging at Easbys point. A second intercept
tor of this kind should be built i'll the mall,
leading westward. as near as practicable to
north b street and. turning southwark, should
discharge into the Washington channel at
Long Bridge. A third stOrm-water intercep-
tor should lead from the intersection of Iu-
diana avenue and & street through Arthur
place. the Capitol grounds, Delaware avenue
and Canal streets to the Eastern Branch. 1t
viii be necessary to discharge more or less
nra NC nnaI - -. .--a- -. II
sewage thus discharged must be intercepted
and carried to the pumping station.
10 PROVIDE Tor carrying storm water from
the low area au mterceptOr must be con-
structrd following closely the line o. the
Washington canal sewage luterceptor. 10 lift
tins storm water and discharge il into the
Eastern Branch additional machinery must be
PrC,.dcG at the pumping station.
1h.s station should be placed as near as
practicable to the AnacOstia river. The exact
position must be determined upon after the
lines of the mterccpting sewers have been
definitely located. For the present | am i'll
ci.nod to regard the intersection of Georgia
avenue and Ndlf street southeast as the most
suitable point.
The machinery should be of sufficient ca
pacltv TO hit all The sewage and as much of the
storm water "a cannot be more economically
got rid u By gravity.
i detailed survey. as a preliminary TO con-
st-UCUOn. would probably lead 10 a modifca-
ton ot some Of the lines o: sewers indicated on
the plan. The adoption of a project for tic
regulation O! the AuacOstia IYer. including
the reclamation OF some of tho flats OF that
stream. might also lead to a material change
IN the location of the pumping station.
NhiIe ii i . matter OF regret that the means
at the cor .EaaG OI the sewer division have not
been s1iIclcHt 20 allow Il detailed report to be
prepared. !: : fortunate that within a short
TIM a fun report upon this important question
IIay be expected from tie board appointed by
the President. as provided IL the act approved
March :. 1883.
Ire Gentlemen composing this board have
h"d WIDE experience n designing sewer svs-
tens on a -arSe scale and have given to the To-
cal problem THE most pa4nstakIng consiGera-
ton. ! am under obligation TO them for tables
anu other valuable G~Ia bearing upon the sub
Iect under discussion.
he advantages TO be derived from the con-
sIuctOaN herein outlined are as follows:
L. HE prevention OF flooding in the low
area.
~. The CbhtCratlcn o. the sewer canals
~ improved sanitary condition of Rock
creek and the Eastern Branch.
III Inc prevention OF serious cortamiuG-
tSA o. the Potomac sIong the front O; tie
city.
5tl. Generally improved sanitary conditions
thr"GSnout a large part Of tae District.
superintendent NcComb's Report.
The report OF Superintendent ID. T.. McComb
after giving an account Of the examinations
made under the $1,000 appropriation of 1855