Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-02-13
Sewage Disposal In Suburban Area

Sewage Disposal In Snburban Area.
A bill designed to provide complete
sewerage system for the territory lying
contiguous to the District Of Columbia in
Montgomery and Prince Georges counties,
and extending into Maryland distance of
six or eight miles, at the same time pre-
venting probable nuisances in the District
resulting from the deposit of sewage therein
coming from the thickly settled portions of
Maryland, has been introduced in the House
by Delegate Cummings.
The bill provides for the creation of
sanitary district in Prince Georges and
Montgomery counties contiguous to the
District of Columbia; makes provision for
its supervision by commission, for the
issuance Of bonds for the construction of
sewerage systems, and provides for ref
erendum, in designated area within said
district to the qualified voters of such areas
on the question Of issuing bonds.
The sections Of the two counties embraced
within the boundaries proposed to be sew
cred, these boundaries to be determined
by the sewage commission, are to be in
corp0rated and known as THE Washington
Suburban Sanitary District" The district
Is to be under the jurisdiction of a commits
sion Of five members, two to be appointed
by the commissioners Of the counties and
the fifth member to be the sanitary en-
gineer of the State Board of Health. The
members of the commission shall be resi-
dents and taxpayers, will serve for four
years and will receive salary of $500
per annum.
The commission is clothed with authority
to condemn land for sewer lines or disposal
plants, and is authorized to fix the salary
Of a secretary-treasurer and can employ
such engineering clerical or other help as
is deemed proper. The commissioners of
each county are directed to pay to said
commission $4,000 annually until such
time as the receipts from sources within
the control of the commission make further
payments unnecessary. The county COM
missioners are to be reimbursed by the
State in the sum Of $4,000 for the years
1914 and 1915.
The commission is to cause surveys to
be made and the sanitary district to be
divided into drainage areas and to desig-
nate the same. following the natural drain
age areas. or parts thereof. as nearly as
practicable. The commission is to decide
which Of the drainage areas are In most
immediate need Of sewerage facilities and
proceed to secure an estimate of the cost
Of such work. After proper advertisement
and provided there Is favorable vote by
the people affected. bonds shall be issued
for an amount sufficient to do the work.
Provision Is also made for the holding Of
special elections which shall be under tho
control Of the board OF election supervisors
Of the respective counties. II an election
fails to disclose a vote favorable to bond
issue, another election may be held within
year.
Provision is made for payment Of bonds
and interest as follows: Before the regular
annual levy day Of the county commits
sioners in any one year in which bonds
have been sold they shall estimate the
amount necessary to pay the interest on
the bonds for the ensuing year and one
fortieth Of the principal Of the bonds so
sold, and shall levy against the property
assessed within such drainage area suffi-
cient sum to pay the amount so required.
and shall levy annually thereafter like
sum until such bonds have been paid in
full. Where any drainage area is within
both counties. the county commissioners
Of the respective counties shall agree as to
the best methods Of dlsposin9 Of said bonds
and receiving the proceeds. provided that
the county having the least property as
sessment within such area shall pay TO the
county having the largest property assess
ment the tax levied for the payment Of
principal and interest on such bonds, and
the county so receiving the same shall pay
the interest on all Of such bonds and the
principal at maturity.
The bill provides that the commission
shall have power to enter into any agree
ment with the authorities Of the District
for the disposal Of sewage, by the connection
Of the sewers Of the counties with those Of
the District Of Columbia. The commits
sion has power to compel connection with
the sewers as soon as they are ready for
the reception Of sewage. and the owner Of
buildings connected shall be subject to an
annual rental, to be fixed by the commits
sion. In case any municipality has sew
erage system installed at the time the act
takes effect, the commission Is authorized
to assume all outstanding bonds issued
for the construction Of these systems. and
to pay the municipalities in cash the
amount Of bonds Cancelled. The commits
sion may require all sewers Of munich
palities to be connected with the genera
system, and shall fix rental to be pait
by the towns.
Three-ffths Of the property owners II
any locality may petition for sewer L
serve that territory, in which case no electio
Is necessary. Whenever one-tenth Of tn
voters Of any section contiguous to Tn
Washington Suburban Sanitary DistriC
shall petition the commission for the I'd
mission Of that section to the district,