Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-18
LAUNCH TWOFOLD
STUDYOF POLLUTION
|NPOTOMAC RIVER
District and Federal Officials
to Make Survey of
Sewage System.
WATER HELD UNFIT
FOR BATHING PURPOSES
Maryland and Virginia Suburban
Areas Contribute to COntami-
nation of Stream.

The polluted condition of the Po-
tomac River which forced Washington
to abandon the development of a pub
lie bathing beach along the waterfront
and turn to artificial bathing pools for
sanitary and health reasons has become
the subject of serious study by both
Federal and District oflcials
At the request of the District Com
miSSioners and the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, the
United States Public Health Service is
preparing to make comprehensive
survey of the whole sewerage system
B. Gordon, sanitary engineer of the
District, and other officials of the mu-
nicipal government directly concerned
with health and sanitation have given
considerable thought to the subject and
made plans to alleviate the condition
as far as possible with funds available
To what extent Is the river polluted?
Does the pollution constitute a menace
to health? Can the river be freed of
pollution and how?
Primarily these are the questions the
survey Is designed to answer.
Water UNIT for Bathing.
Similar surveys in the past have
is polluted to such an extent that its
waters in the vicinity Of the District
are UNFIT for bathing. But District
offlcials are not willing to admit that
the pollution has reached such an ex-
tent as to endanger the health of those
who do not use the untreated water
for bathing or drinking purposes.
The last comprehensive and of1cia1
survey Of the pollution Of the Potomac
within the limits of the District, made
by the Public Health Service in 1925,
but pointed out that the pollution had
not reached the point where 1t con-
stituted a nuisance.
The evidence presented in this re-
port showed clearly that:
THE river within the limits of the
District of Columbia is probably pol
luted at all times with sewage to a
degree much greater than could be
considered as allowable without danger
of contracting sewage-born diseases by
persons bathing in the river.
THAT this condition probably exists
in all periods of low river discharge.
THAT this pollution was derived from
many sources in Maryland, Virginia
and the District Of Columbia.
Gets AnacOstia Sewage.
4udI III pGIlOQS u IOW IlV6E HOW
below Long Bridge there is mass
pollution at times, due to the upstream
flow of sewage from the Anacostia
River, which Is at such times heavily
polluted, and possibly also from the
man sewer outfall.
THAT above Long Bridge there Is
less pollution than below this point
during period of low river discharge,
although local Summer rains will cause
q noticeable increase Of pollution.
THAT those conditions exist during
the Summer months when the river
would probably be used for bathing"
These conditions which existed in
1925, it was said, probably remain today
only to a greater extent because of the
increased population in nearby Mary
land and Virginia suburban areas which
discharge sewage either directly into
the Potomac or into small tributaries
of the river.
Pollution Of the Potomac, according
to Mr.. Gordon, begins virtually at its
source in the streams in the Blue Ridge
Mountains. AS 1t flows on down toward
Washington 1t picks up more pollution
at Cumberland, HarperS Ferry and
other smaller settlements on both sides
Of the river.
Water Supply. Treated.
FOF GIlS reason, hr. OfOTQOn QO1nJS
out, Washington's drinking water taken
from the river at Great Falls is not
free Of pollution and has to be treated
and purified before 1t Is At for con-
sumption.
After the water passes over Great
Falls 1t Is further contaminated by
sewage from the nearby Maryland and
Virginia communities. Then when it
passes Chain Bridge 1t picks up sewage
from District sewer emptying into
the river.
At the mouth Of Rock Greek which
flows into the river near Georgetown
additional pollution finds its way into
the Potomac. From its principal
branch, the Anacostia River, the Po-
tomac also draws a large amount of
pollution. Two sewers of considerable
size empty into the AnacoStia River
from the District and Bladensburg,
Md. and contribute an additional quota.
Then as it flows on down past the
Hams Point near the old Naval Maya
zine the river picks up the sewage from
the City of Washington which is dis
charged from the Districts sewage
pumping plant.
Thus the Potomac for many miles
above Washington near its very source
and for many miles below is polluted,
and its water is unfit to drink without
treatment, according to health authori-
ties, and is not At to battle in because