Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-20
NEW WATERPLANT
FOR NEARBY AREA
Suburban Commission Prac-
tically Completes Design for
10000, OO0- G alIon Supply.

While still drawing the major portion
Of its water supply from the District
system, the Washington Suburban SAM
tary Commission has practically COM
pleted the design for new 10000, 000-
gallon plant across from the present
pumping station on the Northwest
Branch at Burnt Mills, which is expected
to furnish ample water for the sanitary
district Of Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties for some time to come
An abundant water supply for the
new plant will be assured through the
diversion of water from the Patuxent
River into the headwaters of the North
west Branch, in the upper part of Mont
Gomery County, according to T. Howard
Duckett, chairman of the commission,
who today revealed the plans for the
new station.
Would Use Old Reservoir.
The new plant would use the same
reservoir. but new filters will be built.
The pumping station will be moved
across the road. It is expected only one
new pump will have to be installed to
raise the plants capacity to 10000, 900
gallons day.
Mr.. Duckett said this arrangement
will result in 100000 to $4,000, 900
gallons of water always being available
daily at the Burnt Mills plant.
The committee chairman said the
new plant would be erected mex
pensively. Work on the project will
start within the next few months, he
declared and be completed before next
Spring.
1t will not be necessary TO build a
dam in order to divert the water from
the Patuxent River, the commission
.-,1HI 1.
accomplished merely through the in
stallation Of a pumping plant, accord
ing to Mr.. Duckett.
The authorization of this project does
not mean that the commission has
definitely decided to draw its ultimate
water supply from either the Northwest
Branch or the Patuxent River, Mr.
Duckett warned.
Five Years Study Required.
"The commission feels that it will
take at least five years study to de-
termine our ultimate water source"
the chairman said. I'm determining
this we believe We should look ahead at
least 20 years, to a time when, accord
ing to present population curves, we
will have to serve $50 900 people in
stead of $4,000 as at present"
In regard to the suggestion that the
Sanitary Commission use the Potomac
River as its source of supply, Mr..
Duckett pointed out that there are nu-
merous objections to such a course, in
GLIDING the quality of the water"
an any event." Mr.. Duckett con-
thing to have two separate areas taking
water from the same source, because
of the possibility of contamination,
drought or other emergency"
The Sanitary Commission will eventu-
ally draw water from It's own source
instead Of buying 1t from the District
as at present, because the commission
sis not certain the sos million gall
Ions now being paid Washington for
water will permit the commission to
maintain its present rate to the con-
sumers OF Maryland" according to Mr..
Duckett
The chairman claims the commission
is able in normal times to draw water
from the Northwest Branch, filter 1t,
and put it in the pipes for only $40
million gallons.
Maryland consumers now pay $220
a million gallons, but this includes the
maintenance of the whole sewer and
water system.
Deputy Chief Engineer Harry r. Hall
reported today that the Maryland Sani-
tary district Is now drawing about four
fifths of its supply from the District,
the remainder being furnished through
the Hyattsville plant, which is being
supplied with water allowed to flow
down from the Burnt Mills reservoir
The newly installed connections and
pumps with the district are functioning
satisfactorily, Engineer Hall said, so that
even though all restrictions on the use
of water have been removed, there is
an ample supply in all sections of near
by Maryland.