Evening star., 1933-07-16
FILTRATION PLANT
PLANS COMPLETED
Sanitary Commission to Ac-
celerate Work on $3.50, 900
Project.
BY JACK ALLEN,


BURNT MILLS, Md, July l5.-Plans
for the new S250,000 pumping station
and filtration plant to be built here by
the Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission we're completed by the
engineering force of that organization
today and construction work, Whlch mas
already begun on number OF minor
features of the new system will be ac-
celerated Immediately so that the plant
will be ready for use next Summer.
The new plant will be capable OF pro-
ducing an average of 10 100000 gallons
of water daily and will entirely replace
the present equipment that is taxed to
capacity in handling the 100000 gal
Ions that is consumed on an average
each dav in Montgomery and Prince
Georges County and which has proven
inadequate on several occasions during
heavy droughtS.
In addition to the modern pumping
and filtration devices with which the
plant will be equipped. a concrete pre-
liminary sedimentatlon basin and aera-
ton equipment will be installed to re-
move sediment ursavOry tastes and
odors from the water before 1t is
pumped into the filters and prepared
for distribution.
Streams to Be Tapped.
1t was explained by Harry R. Hall,
deputy chief engineer OF the commits
sion, Who is in charge of the construc-
ton work. end j. Donald Claggett,
member of the commission, that the
PatuXtent River and Paint Branch
will be tapped to augment the present
supply drawn from the Northwest
Branch. thereby eliminating the neces-
sity CT purchasing water from the Dis
.-ict of Columbia during droughtS as
mas been the case in the past.
Three permanent connections with
the district system were made this Sum-
mer to assure an adequate supply while
construction work Cn the Burnt Mills
plant is in progress and for use in case
Of emergencies.
Northwest Branch. together with the
connections to P2tuXent River and
Paint Branch, will be capable of fur
nlshing the new plant with an average
of 100000 gallons of water daily and
in case of emergencies, officials of the
commission said, 100000 gallons Of
water can be drawn from the three
streams.
The water system will be connected
with the PatuXent River somewhere
between the Columbia pike and the
Spencerville River road. 1t will then
be hooked up with one Of the small
tributaries of Paint Branch and an in
take reservoir will be constructed along
Paint Branch to store the water until
1t is needed for the main distribution
system.
Paint Branch to BE Used.
Paint Branch a mile and half from
the present reservoir. will be used to
Augment the supply from Northwest
Branch during dr. seasons and the Pa
tuxent River supply 8 miles away
will be called into service only during
exceptionally heavy droughts. 1t vas
said. The present reservoir has stor
age capacity of 5O,oOOO00 gallons.
The new equipment to be installed at
capable of pumping 20.00O,O00 gallons
of water daily SO that even in the
breakdown of any of the pumping units
the plant will still be able to turn out
10000 900 gallons of water each day
more than twice a. much as the system
is called upon to furnish Montgomery
and Prince Georges consumers at the
present time.
An attractive new brick building will
be built on the site of the present flltra-
ton plant to house the pumping equip
ment. while a second building is to be
erected on the south side Of the Coles
vile road to house the equipment to be
used for pumping water from the pre-
lininary sedimentation basin to the fill
tering machinery. This structure also
will certain Offices and a modern labo-
ratory in which the water will be tested
regularly.
The filters and pumping machinery
have been designed by Robert B. Morse,
chief engineer of the commission. and
are to be of the most compact. modern
type, affecting a large saving in costs
over other types of plants now III use.
Another feature of the new system Is
a water power pumping station that Will
be used to utilize excess water flowing
into the reservoir tor the purpose of
pumping water into the main distribu-
ton system, thereby affecting a saving
in the cost of electric power. 1t will
consist Of water turbine directly con-
nected to a pump capable of turning
out 100000 gallons of water day into
the two counties
Workers engaged in the improvement
work have alrca-T completed the eXca-
vation for tho llcliminary sedimenta-
ton basin and the pouring of concrete
will be started within the next few
weeks Steel work for one of the two
0,UUU,UUU-gdllOl IiItST UNITS Is Hall COIL
pleted and work is under way on the
water power pumping station.
AS soon as the first filter unit is fin
ished the existing plant will be COM
pletely raZed to make room lor the sec
ond filter unit and the new building for
the pumping station.
Connections Are Adequate.
The three emergency connections
made with the District supply could-fur
nish enough water to provide for the
needs of both Prince Georges and
Montgomery Counties even though the
present system or the new plant are
completely disabled at any time, officials
said
One of the connections was made on
the East West Highway just east of Six
teenth street and is capable of furnish
ing 2,5O0,0O0 gallons of water day.
The second at the intersection of River
road and Willard avenue near Friend
ship Heights can turn 100000 gallons
of water a day into the Maryland sys-
tenn while the third. located at Kenil-
worth. in Prince Georges County, can
supply 100000 gallons daily, enough
in itself to meet the water requirements
of that county.
All of the three connections are able
to furnish water at the same high pres
sure available here. officials of the COM
,fo.l