Evening star., 1935-11-10
POLLUTION CURB
BY BOARD URGED
Elaine Eppley Would Have
Virginia, Maryland and
D. C. Represented.

A commission to advise and CO.
ordinate the work of the District,
Maryland and Virginia in efforts to
free the Potomac River from pollu-
ton Is urged by Miss Elaine Eppley,
delegate to the Federation Of Citizens
Associations from the District Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs.
The District, in its contribution to
the task Of restoring the Potomac
River, has retained the services OF
three of the foremost sanitary engi-
neers of the country and it is their
recommendation that such a proposed
Potomac River Sanitary Board be
formed, she said in an address deliv-
cred over Station WMAL Thursday
evening
Vast sums of money are being
spent throughout the country in an
effort to clear up its rivers and'if our
forefathers had foreseen the concen-
tration of pollution along the Nations
waterways, she believes they would
have taken steps to protect and pre-
serve them instead of using them as
mans natural sewers" to quote the
Supreme Court of Virginia.
Personnel OF Board.
The proposed board would compose
the chief sanitary engineers Of each
of the States and the District. In spe-
cial cases, when matters Of particular
importance come up, the States and
the District could send more repre-
sentatives. No action taken by the
board should extend beyond recon-
mendations.
The sole expense of maintaining
such board, she declared. would be
that of attendance at its sessions, in
Guiding proportionate share of the
cost of reporting the proceedings.
There is a question as to the pres
ent authority of the District Commis-
sioners to act in the creation of this
board, but any difficulty upon that
score would be obviated by obtaining
specific authorization by act of Con-
gress at the approaching session.
Although this recommendation was
submitted to the Commissioners in
April, 1884, they have to date taken
no action, she declared, notwithstand-
ing the approval Of the proposed
board by the Federation OF Citizens
Associations. The problem is now be-
ing studied by the Virginia State
/ government and the civic federations
of Arlington. Montgomery and. Prince
/ Georges Counties.
Reviews Work Being Done.
! A brief resume of the work being
done, and that necessary in the met
ropolitan area to cope with increasing
pollution Of waterways was given to
picture the scope of activity of such
a board.
/ For many years the District has
been handicapped in its efforts to free
its waterways of irsanitary conditions
because the task Is extremely expen-
sive
The sewage treatment plant now
under construction at Blue Plains,
is expected to be completed by July
/, next year and will remove about
IS per cent of the Districts sewage
from the Potomac. Within the past
year, at the cost of nearly a million
dollars, the Districts sewage system
has been rearranged so that no sewage
is now discharged into the river
within the District except at times Of
an unually heavy rainfall.
The proposed Oxon Run sewer
project will cost about S260,O00 and
is to run through Oxon Run Valley
and will remove all source of pollu-
ton from that stream.
The work of clearing Rock Greek
Valley has been progressing slowly but
steadily for the past Is or 20 years
she said The present Objectionable
conditions of Rock Creek after heavy
rains will be removed after completion
Of three projects. all expensive. The
sewer system of the Luzon and Klingle
Valleys will have to be separated into
two separate projects. The third
project is to construct an interceptor
from Piney Branch, through Rock
Creek Valley, east Of Connecticut
avenue.
County Sewage Problem.
Montgomery County is now dis
charging sewage directly into the
Potomac and Rock Greek as well as
other tributaries of the river, she
charged The District is now prepared
to receive this sewage and by next
Summer could dispose of it at Blue
Plains.
The present sore spot of this prob
lem in the metropolitan area lies in
Prince Georges County. Here all sew
age runs into streams. all OF which
are tributaries Of the Potomac. The
Anacostia River is so polluted that
some days in the Summer the oxygen
content Is zero and there is villain
GUS odor. The citizens are aware OF
this danger. she said, but seem power
less to overcome it.
Alexandria is also badly in need oi
disposal facilities and its mayor
Emett c. Dawson was praised as be-
ing alive to this need.
Arlington County is standing with
the District in its work of protecting
her waterway. Contracts have beer
signed for construction of a sewage
disposal plant. The county frankly,
does not need a Cooperative Sanitary
Board to urge her to do her duty
However" she concluded, "this pro
posed Potomac River Sanitary Board
with its great potential value to ever!
inhabitant of the Potomac Rive
Valley will never become reality un
less there is behind its creation th'
urge of the valleys citizens. We IL
the metropolitan area can foster tint
urge and carry 1t on to oui neighbors.
Ely to Talk Thursday.
Each Thursday a speaker, promi
nent in civic activity, makes a radi'
address over Station WMAL. tn
series is sponsored by the Federation
of Citizens Associations and is unde
direction of L. A. Carruthers, pres
: ident and federation delegate from tf'