Evening star., 1933-09-17
SEWAGE DISPOSAL
SURVEY IS ORDERED
IN POTOMAC AREA
Commissioners Name SAM.
tary Engineers to Pre-
pare Report.
STUDY MADE POSSIBLE
UNDER PUBLIC WORKS
Elimination of Pollution Has Been
Sought for Years in Wash
ington.

In definite move to lessen pollu-
tion Of the Potomac River and its tribu-
taries, the District Commissioners yes
terday appointed q special board of
sanitary engineers to plan development
Of modern sewage system here.
A comprehensive survey of the sub
ject has been made possible by a grant
of $4,000 from the Public Works Ad-
miniStration. which was included in
sum of S1,759, 500 allocated to the Dis
trict for number of important sewer
Improvements.
Members of the board, announced by
Engineer Commissioner John c. Got
walls, are to be Harrison P Eddy Of
Boston, John H. Gregory of Baltimore
and Samuel A. Greeley of Chicago.
They are sanitary engineers OF long
experience.
Arrangements have been made for
an early start of the study which the
Commissioners want completed, if pos
sible, within six months.
Cost Put At $4,000, 900.
Consideration Of the problem in re-
cent months by officials OF the En-
gineer Department indicated the cost
of one type of plant would run to
100000 or more. While such fund
is not now available, District officials
are convinced of the need OF special
lied study of the matter.
Elimination of pollution from the
Potomac, which has been shown in
Government reports to be killing of
fish in the river as well as making
swimming a health hazard, has been
the objective of civic campaign for
number of years.
Chairman king of the Senate Dis
trict Committee recently recommended
development of scientific plans for
modern sewage disposal plant, holding
the time is fast coming when present
methods must be corrected.
The board is directed to review avail
able reports on sewage and the treat
ment and disposal of sewage here. and
to study evidence Of pollution of the
river and other water in the District,
as shown by chemical and bacterial
analyses, the effect on fish life and the
conditions of subaqueous vegetation.
Methods Considered.
It is directed to consider various
practicable methods for treating Dis
trict sewage and to prepare a general
plan for treatment, having in view the
experience of other cities and the situa-
ton here.
d
nature as to respond to the test of
economy as well as to the demand that
a high standard of purity be main
tained in the Potomac River contigu-
GUS to the National Capital as an ex-
ample to the Nation" the order reads
The board is asked also to study
available sites for the plant and to
designate that best suited to require
ments, giving due consideration to
economy in operation and construc-
ton The report is to contain plaEs
in sufficient detail to permit immedi-
ate subsequent preparation Of de-
tailed specifications, giving estimates
of cost and time required for con-
struction.
The beard is directed to consider
the feasibility of creation of an inter
state board to protect the Potomac
and its tributaries from pollution.
Appointment of the board was re-
commended by John Blake Gordon.
District sanitary engineer.
Active for 40 Years.
Mr.. Eddy is a member of the firm
| of Metcalf & Eddy. consulting engineers
of Boston. He has been active in
40 years and has served as consultant
on hundreds of boards.
Mr.. Gregory is professor of civil and
sanitary engineering and head of the
Civil Engineering School of Johns
Hopkins University, Baltimore. He has
been active in civil engineering work
| since 1895, specializing in water and
sewage work. He has served on similar
commissions in New York. Baltimore.
| Chicago, Detroit and Columbus, Ohio
He also was member of the Engineers
Advisory Board of the Reconstruction
| Finance Corporation.
Mr.. Greeley has been active in the
practice of hydraulic and sanitary en-
| gineering for 80 years. He is now presi-
dent of the American Society of
Municipal Engineers. He has been re-
| tanned in connection with river pollu-
| tion problems by Minneapolis and St
Paul. Kansas City, Peoria and Perkin
| Portsmouth on the Ohio; Dallas and
| Fort Worth. and by the State of New
Jersey on the Delaware River diversion