Evening star., 1934-04-23
Proposed Sewage Plant Wins
FavOr of Noted u. S. Biologist
District Can Rid Self of Disease Menace
and Create ASSET, Says Dr.. George
". Field, Sanitation Authority.

Through the construction Of q sew
age disposal plant. as proposed by the
District Commissioners as q pavt OF
the projected new public works pro-
gram, Washington can rid itself Of
the menace of water pollution and
change its sewage from a public health
hazard to an asset, according to DR.
George Wilton Field, retired biological
engineer and consulting biologist
DR.. Field has made extensive studies
of the problem Of sanitary drainage
and sewage disposal, and three years
ago the Department Of Agriculture
sent him to Europe to make studies
of the problem as handled by cities
there.
The Agriculture Departments pri-
mary interest was In the waStage OF
fertilizer materials. This waste, DR..
Field asserted, is wholly unnecessary,
but until American laws forbid land
owners the right to use land for "un-
economic" purposes, it cannot be
cubed.
Offers Germs Control
The proposed plant here. DR.. Field
asserted, can be made indirectly to
supply food for oysters, CLAIMS and
fish, food for game birds, and indi-
rectly food for human consumption.
At the same time and by the same
process disease germs can be removed
from the sewage and water pollution
stopped.
The process, he explained, is SIM
pie. BY raising the temperature OF
the sewage and adding water, bac-
terra can be set at work to eliminate
the disease germs, then, by adding
more water, the nitrates left In the
sewage can be drained into streams
not only with safety, but with bene-
fetal results to plant and animal life.
"Our main problem in the United
States" DR.. Field asserted, lies in an
inadequate program of warranted con-
secutive use of public waters. Our
laws in this respect are defective and
permit the misuse Of water. 1t seems
that any business organization that
desires can drain anything it wants to
into our public streams. The result
naturally is pollution. As result,
this country loses $4,000, 900 per year
as q direct result Of carelessness and
pollution"
Cows Digestion Similar.
DR.. Field suggested the construction
OF a sewage plant here, patterned In
principle after the digestive system Of
a COW. Just as COW takes dry food
directly into her stomach, later chews
1t and transfers it into another stom-
ach where bacteria finishes the proc
ess of digestion, so sewage can be
taken into the sewer raw and poison,
and by permitting bacteria to do their
part, the poisons will be removed and
the sewage will become healthful fer
tilizer.
He pointed out that in all cities.
barren areas are found in streams at
the point where sewage is permitted
to empty from the sewerage lines. All
such places can be removed, he said,
simply by the biological process OF
cleansing.
THE COW, just as all other grazing
animals, develops protein from vege-
tation," DR.. Field said. sheep, ducks,
geese, crabs and oysters are also graz
ing animals. BY treating the sewage.
the growth of wild celery will be
extended in the Chesapeake Bay
region and ducks and geese will be
permitted to Craze. 1t will give them
I new chance to flourish.
by the biological treatment, the
sewage Is cleanSed by bacteria that
destroy disease germs. These bac-
terra then are eaten by infusoria, and
the infusoria in turn are eaten by