Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-19
Health and Sanitary Men
Find Plants Discharge
Chemicals Into Potomac.
JE0PARDIZE FISH LIFE
AND MENACE BATHERS
Need of Cooperation From States
Held Necessary to Remedy Con.
ditions Outside of District.

Sewage discharged into the Potomac
at Washington and numerous other
points beyond the city, almost as far as
its very source in the Blue Ridge
Mountains, does not constitute the only
form Of pollution found in the river,
health authorities and sanitary engi-
neerS have found in their studies Of
the Potomac pollution problem.
Manufacturing plants bordering the
river, it has been discovered, have dis
charged into the water chemicals, gaso-
line, oil and other foreign substances,
all of which constitute contamination,
dangerous to bathers and harmful to
all forms of water life. Chemical dis
charges from industry are known to be
toxic to fish and kill them or ruin their
food supply. Excessive pollution may
so deplete the oxygen content as to
make the water unhabitable by fish
life.
Several instances of chemical pollu-
ton were brought to the attention of
the District Health Department In re-
cent years. In 1928 mill in George
town was found to be discharging for
eign matter into the river which was
jeopardizing fish life and deteriorating
the hulls of river craft. This source
of contamination was subsequently
eliminated on the order of the Health
Department.
No Control Beyond District.
Within the last few weeks the Po-
lice Department discovered oil, tar and
other substances in the Anacostia River
and traced its source to the Southeast
plant of the Washington Gas Light
Co. In a spirit of cooperation the
gas company took immediate steps to
correct the condition.
In the limits of the District the
Health Department has the power to
control the pollution of the river by
manufacturing plants, but without the
cooperation of the States in the Po-
tomac watershed, the officials see little
hope Of removing the contamination of
the water before 1t reaches the Dis
trtct. In various sections of the coun-
try some progress has been made within
the last few years in the reduction of
the amount Of wastes going into streams
used as sources for public water. This
is particularly true in the case of States
bordering on the Ohio River which
made determined effort to bring about
the exclusion of certain industrial
wastes which had been passing through
the water publication plants of the
cities on that watershed and produced
a disagreeable carbolic acid taste.
The cooperation of these States and
the co-ordinated effort by them as a
group, coupled with the action of the
industrial plants, has effected re-
markable improvement In the water.
The question of bringing about a re-
duction of municipal wastes so as to
reduce the f1lterable load Is compli-
Gated, however, often by the fact that
the source of trouble is in a State Diff
ferent from that of the city having
the filtration difficulties.
Believe Government Should Aid.
In a case like this Public Health
Service officials believe the Federal
Government should assist in the con-
troll Of pollution. However, no laws au-
thorize the Federal authorities to reg
ulate such condition unless it Is dele
ferrous to navigation.
The Public Health Service is author
lied to conduct researches into stream
pollution and determine its effect on
drinking water supplies, but these are
for the determination of fundamental
principles which may have practical
application. The solution, therefore,
rests upon the ability of the interested
States to cooperate with one another
to bring about such a reduction in
sewage or waste as will permit the eff
fective publication Of the water re-
ceiving those wastes.
Aside from the effect Of pollution on
water life, it affords constant danger
to batherS Arthur P. Miller, associate
sanitary engineer of the Public Health
Service, declares that "the ingestion
of germs in contaminated water will
produce sickness which sometimes re-
suits in death"
Few Nearby Places Suitable.
'In the determination of the suita-
bility of a body of water for SWIM
ming" he said, "the location of the
sources of pollution, the currents, the
distance of the polluting source from
the bathing beach, tides and wind di-
rection all have bearing. In this age,
when large groups Of people live in
small areas, there are usually not avail
able many bathing places on the water
adjacent to any built-up section which
are suitable for bathing.
I'm some areas where population
density Is high and the flow of water
in the adjacent stream relatively small,
the amount of sewage and wastes dis
charged into that stream has been such
as actually to produce nuisance.
Highly polluted bodies of water are
not only displeasing to sight, but, due
to biological changes, may be offensive
to other senses. Such polluted body
of water has an indirect effect on the
welfare of the people. because 1t acts
as a deterrent to recreation.
Much pleasure and healthful exer-
else can be gained by canoeing on or
fishing in one of the streams which
still retains a part of its pristine pu-
rity. But who of us would 60 to the
trouble of seeking point for such rec
reation If we knew beforehand that
the water we were going to boat on
was highly polluted with human wastes
which might be disgusting to both
sight and smell?"