Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-19
&O2,617 INCREASE
SOUGHT FOR SEWER
WORK IN DISTRICT
Two Surveys Basis for $780,
600 of 1888 Estimates
TotaIing $1,788,617.
ASK $40, 900 FOR PLANT
TO CLEAR OxON RUN
$685. 300 Wanted for Personnel
and $25o,ooO for Cleaning
and Repairs.

An increase of $402, SIT over the sum
carried in the 1882 appropriation act is
asked by the Sewer Department for its
activities in 1888, according to depart
mental estimates released by District
Auditor Daniel j. Donovan. The 1882
appropriation is $1,386.o0O. and the
1888 estimates call for 81 1857.
Two surveys which will have an i'm
portant bearing on the future of the
city's sewer system are the basis of a
The department asks $4,000 for an
engineering survey of the feasibility OF
divorcing contaminated sewage from
storm water flow in Piney Branch VAL
ley, taking the contaminated sewage
on into Rock Creek.
In order to do this it will be neces-
sary to change the plumbing in most OF
the houses, including number OF sub
stantial apartment houses in the sec
ton. in addition to tearing up streets
to lay separate system sewers in place
Of the present combined system sewers,
and it Is a question whether the project
will be economically feasible. This is
the question that the survey will under
take to settle.
$55,OOO for Pollution Test.
The second survey costing $4,000.
Is one to test the amount of pollution
in the Potomac River. This second
survey will be made by the United
States Public Health Service and
financed by the sewer department. If
the survey shows sufficient contamina-
ton of the river, it will mean even
tually the construction of a sewage
treatment plant at Blue Plains, D. c.,
where much of the pollution will be re-
moved. incidentally. the estimates
contain an item of $4,000 for the pur-
chase of small addition to the site
reserve for the day when 1t becomes
necessary to build the sewage treat
ment plant.
Item for Sewage Plant.
An item of $4,000 is included for
tie construction of a small sewage
treatment plant at First and Atlantic
streets southeast, to remove pollution
from Oxon Run. A community of
about 100 houses in this section viii
BE- served by the construction of an
in.ercepting sewer leading to the pro-
posed dispa sal plant, and the stream
will be saved from further pollution.
For personnel services. an increase
from Sl98,620 TO SOS ,260 is asked to
take care of step-ups, reallocations,
and to employ one new transit man.
For cleaning and repairing sewers, $780,
600 is asked, the same sum as apprc-
priated in 1892. For new suburban
sewers there Is a request for an In
crease from $675.000 to S72O 900. and
for other sewers an increase from $210,-
600 to $500. 900. For sewers built until
assessments, the sum Of $350,O00 Is
asked, substantial increae over the ap-
preparation Of $4,000 in 1882. justified
by a statement that there had been an
enormous increase in the demands made
for that class Of work recently.
Increase Of s32,sO5.
Estimates of the electrical depart
ment of the funds needed to carry 1t
through 1888 exceeded the 1882 appro-
priation by $50, sos, according to figures
made public yesterday by MIR. Donovan.
The estimate for personal services Is
raised from $153, l20 to $163, $3.50. The
estimate for new lamps and street light
ing fixtures is increased from 81 ,009, 900
TO 81 ,03e, 900, while the estimate for ex-
tension Of wires in the police and fire
departments shows a decrease from
t44,225 to $29, 100. This department is
one which civic leaders at their budget
conference recently with the Commits
sioners suggested should not be cut, on
account of the importance Of having
o brightly lighted city during the year
of the celebration of the George Wash
tngtcn Bicentennial.
The increase in the personnel service
item is occasioned by requests for one
additional senior inspector, enc junior
inspector, and two additional telephone
operators at fire alarm headquarters.
The total OF the estimates for the de-
partment for 1888 Is $l,271 100.