Evening star., 1925-10-07
Continued from Page EiGhteen)

storm drainage of the newer part of
greater Washington.
Next we come to that exceedingly
important sanitary feature, the sew
ago disposal system. To this your
committee has given a great deal of
careful consideration. and has spe-
cially reviewed present conditions in
the light of the recent report of the
United States Public Health Service
on the pollution of river waters with
in the limits of the District of Co
lumbia'-a study of the results of a
sanitary survey of these waters dur
ing the past Summer. --r
While the immediate purposes of
this survey were to test the fitness of
these waters for public bathing. the
results throw a new and almost start
ling starchlight illumination on the
present operating conditions of the
sewage disposal system, and it's fail
IRE to maintain these waters in a con-
dition reasonably free from gross pol
luton.
I'm order to visualize the present
situation, it may be we'll to recall that
this sewage disposal system was de-
signed about 80 years ago, and to con
slider briefly its limitations.
AS YOU well know, the system was
installed in accordance with the gen
eral plans and recommendations of a
board of sanitary engineers, appointed
BY President Harrison. in 1899
doubtless the older members will
easily remember the District as 1t
then was. Almost the entire popula
tion residing within the old city. where
there were less than 100000 persons.
and only somc 80, 900 in the great area
outside, and IF th"Se, nearly all locat,
I'd in a rather narrow fringe closely
bordering he old town. The sewerage
System at that time WAS as confined
as the population and as might be cX-
pected. tho plan of the Board of SAM
tary Engineers inclri"f works rather
1'igidtv limited to tho city area within
Florida avenue. Under tho conditions
rs they then existed, and for a good
many years afterward, their plans
were rea snnahlv adequate.
But in q,life recent years
these conditions have tremendously
changed Not only has there boon
Very great increase in population,
even in excess of tho engineers. cSti-
mates, but q remarkable spread that
now covers with urban development
plmost the entire District. So that
While the city has much more than
doubled in size, it is perhaps four-fnld
in area. And the latter IS probably
the more rea soma BILE inca sure of tho
growth from the point of view of tho
den on the sewage disposal system.
The recent extension of intercept
ing sewers toward tho District houn-
diaries in the Anacostia River Valley.
along Rock Creek and along the upper
Potomac, while necessary sanitary
bettermentS in themselves. when Hc-
comps MED by this extensive develop
ment of suburban sewers, has SO over
loaded the original sewage disposal
system that great volumes of sewage
arc discharged into all of these waters
along the city front, as well as in the
public parks. Aggravated instances
Of this have been described in pre-
rious reports by your committee, but
much remains to ho told. And this
recent study by the United states
Public Health Service gives a bioloG
ical demonstration of the effect. in
showing the gross pollution of the city
water front, and the recent enormous
increase in this pollution.
"A small part of this, of course, is
due to exterior sources, but this Is
not of much moment, as the report
shows that neither the total bacteria
or 'B-Coli" content of the river
waters at Great Falls has had any
apparent increase in 10 years. while
the immediate local waters have cvi-
denceS of an increased pollution of
as much as thousand per cent, or
more.
In the opinion of your committee
the District sewage disposal system
needs considerable rcvamping. While
it has rendered "A dong and excellent
service and has well met the require
ments of its designers, it is no longer
adequate in the measure of recent
growth and modern standards. AT
this time this applies particularly to
the collectors.
TOO mucn sewage is being dis
charged into park streams and along
the waterfront. New works should
be planned for the entire separation,
within the disposal system of units
of storm flow and sanitary drainage.
Larger capacity for storm water in
crements should be provided in the
collectors and these should be worked
to full capacity during rainfall
periods so as to have the minimum
spill of sewage at all overflows. Petty
economies in fuel for pumping can
not justify pollutin6 the waters of
the city front and the parks.
Nor is there much to be gained
in building miles of riverside col
lectorS to the Chain Bridge if all the
sewage collected is to be dumped
periodically into the river alongside
the new Memorial Bridge. Nor is
building along ROCK creek TO the lis
trict line Of SO much moment If the
accumulated sewage is more than
often discharged into the lower
reaches of this park stream.
What has been suggested involves
rather large expenditures. but these
WIFI extend over a period of years.
It Is work that should be begun with
out delay, and now far transcends
in Importance the construction Of
sewage treatment works. or perhaps
even the farther extension Of these
interceptors themselves.
Reduce the volume of sewage spill
ed into the city waters and make 1t