The Washington herald., 1912-10-03
SEWERAGE HERE
BEST IN WORLD.
Sanitary Engineers Say Capital
Drainage Scheme Is Marvel
of Perfection.
SIX HUNDRED MILES
OF sUBTERANEAN RIVERS
An Initial Appropriation of $l20
in 1910 Was Starting
of Drainage.

washington's sewerage system has been
pronounced the finest In the world. by
a party including some OF the foremost
sanitary engineers. 1t was learned yes
terday. The party was escorted over
the sewerage system by Superintendent
Asa Z. Phillips, just at the close Of the
Congress on Hygiene and Demography.
After spending an entire day in the ex-
animation, it was the unanimous opinion
OF all the experts that no city had a
better system. not even excepting the
German municipalities. which are con-
sidered to be the model in this regard.
Included in the party were DIR. John
Watson. chief sanitary engineer OF
Birmingham. England, and formerly
chief sanitary engineer of Toronto; DR..
George w. Fuller. Of New York. author
of the standard work on sewerage sys-
tens; DR.. Soper. president OF the Metro
politan Drainage Commission of New
York City. and James c. Webster, chief
sanitary engineer of Philadelphia.
Six hundred miles of subterranean
rivers underlie washington-sn aver
age of nearly nine miles OF river TO ev-
cry square mile OF land. These figures
were given yesterday by Supt. Phillips.
in a lecture at Hygiene Hall.
There underground rivers" said Mr..
Philips, take OH tne uoWdBe from
the half dozen or so of streams which
used to run through what is now the
central portion of the city. In addi-
ton they handle all the drainage from
Washington houses and all the i'm
mense amount of rain that falls an
nually in the District
System started In 1910.
Mr.. Phillips said that the present
he
impetus to its development from the
flood of 1889, when Pennsylvania ave-
nue. was put under three feet of water.
This never can happen again, unless
the river rises higher than 1t ever did
before, he declared, for in addition to a
sewerage system which expeditiously re-
moves the excess Of water from the Dis
trict's surface. two dykes have been
built up to a height OF five feet for the
protection of the low-lying business dis
tricts.
Mr.. Phillips said that the drainage Of
Washington was started in 1910. when an
initial appropriation of $40 was granted
for the purpose, while the present sewer
age system had so far cost s12.Oo 600. He
said that the annual expenditure for
sewers ran about s350,o0o and the an
nual increase in mileage was twenty-five
miles.
The system adopted for the prevention
of mosquitoes was also described.
Throughout the city. according to Mr..
Phillips. there are more than 5000 catch
basins for receiving storm water. and
unless these are properly cared for. he
asserted that during the dry periods OF
warm weather the dirty water in these
basins affords excellent breeding places
for the insects. However. in Washing
ton, Mr.. Phillips said. all of these basins
are thoroughly flushed at biweekly inter-
walls and then dosed with mosquito oil
during the breeding season. the average
cost for each preventive treatment be-
ing cents a BASIN This work. Mr.. Phil
lips said. is distinct from that OF clean
ing. all these basins being cleaned every
four weeks throughout the year.