Evening star., 1935-02-17
RIVER POLLUTION
PROGRAM MAPPED!
Park and Planning Unit Fa-
vors Extension of Trunk
Sewers.

River was recommended yesterday W
the interested authorities by the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission.
Under the program trunk sewers IN
MARYLAND would be extended, new
sewage treatment plant built above
the District line in the vicinity of
Bladensburg. Nd, existing sewers IN
Rock Greek Valley. already connected
with District sewers. would be extend
ed, discharge of sewage into Piney
Branch would be eliminated and Sanl-
tarv and storm sewers in the Walter
Reed Hospital area separated.
John Nolen, jr., director OF plan
ming of the commission, explained
that this new program shows the next
steps that should be taken to sup
plement the present pollution -elimina-
tion program. which includes building
of a sewage disposal plant by the Dis
trict government at Blue Plains. This
primary treatment plant will reduce
the sewage load now being dumped
into the Potomac River by about half,
he explained.
The commission said:
After completion of the conStruc
ton work for which funds already
have been allotted, there will remain
the following principal sources of pol
hutton in the Potomac River drainage
above the points of discharge of the
District and Arlington County treat
ment plants:
"A. In dry weather.
Acute in Summer.
az. Serious pollution in the vari-
GUS branches of the Anacostia River
from a severed population of $4,000
in suburban Maryland. Below the
District line the polluted condition
of the upper Anacostia will continue
therefore to be acute. especially dur
ing the low flows of Summer months.
and decided detriment to the further
use and development of Anacostia
Park, even though all District sewage
will soon be removed. The remedy
for this situation will involve the eX-
tension of trunk sewers in Maryland
and the construction Of a treatment
plant above the District line in the
vicinity of Bladensburg.
"2. Moderate, but increasing pol
hutton in Rock Creek Park in Mary
land. and in the District, from popu-
lation of 4.60O in Maryland. This
condition can be eliminated by ex-
tension of existing Maryland sewers
in Rock Creek Valley already con-
nected with District sewers. The ne
cessity for remedial action is now be-
ing determined by joint committee
under an agreement made in 1881 be-
tween the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and Maryland
authorities as stipulated in the Cap
per-Cramton act.
"B. In rainy weather.
81. Occasional pollution in the lower
section of Rock Creek in times Of
storm, with subsequent residual
effects. from the discharge of large
quantities of combined sewage into
Piney Branch at Sixteenth street and
Mt various points in Rock Greek be-
low Piney Branch Plans for over
coming this increasingly Objectionable
condition are being studied by the
National Park Service under recent
p W. A. allotment. Further funds
will be needed to secure the relief
needed.
Sewer Separation.
'2. Occasional pollution in the upper
section of Rock Creek within the Dis
trict in times of storm from COM
bined sewers serving Walter Reed
Hospital and that portion of LuZon
Valley north of same, discharging
Into tributary Of Rock Creek. Sepa-
ration of sanitary and storm sewers
within this area will remove this
source.
The removal of pollution occur
ring during dry weather in the Ana
costa River and Rock Creek is there
fore a responsibility of Maryland
authorities. while the pollution in
Rock Creek during rainy weather
is responsibility of the District"
The commission saw these results
10 be obtained:
When action is taken and con-
struction completed under this new
program, during dry weather no pollu-
tion from any material source will
reach the Potomac or any of its tribu- |
taries above Blue Plains and Four
Mile Run except as carried upstream
by the tide. Downstream on the Po- |
tomac, the primary treatment of the |
than 100000 will afford an urgently
needed and substantial relief from the
excessive pollution load now imposed |
on the river, especially acute and
objectionable during the low flows
OF Summer months. During rainy
weather, pollution will reach the
Potomac River above the points of
treatment. the lower Anacostia River
within the District, and possibly to a
limited degree the lower portion of
Rock Greek, but always from combined
sewers diluted in varying proportions
This latter situation will necessarily
prevail even when there is complete
treatment plant for the District.
Modern sewage disposal practice
recognizes that a reasonable reliance
may and should be placed on the
natural asSimilating power of flowing
water to purify greatly diluted or par
TALLY treated sewage. The Potomac
River is one of our larger waterways
and considering both dry and rainy
weather conditions, the results to be
obtained by both the present and new
program will represent marked prog
ress and be consonant with the prac-
tical situation which exists"
This new program is the result of
action taken by the commission at
its January meeting. Frederic A.
Delano. the commissions chairman,
and Col. Dan I. Sultan. Engineer Com
missioner of the District, who is also
commission member, we're named
as a special committee to study the
problem.
Die MXRIAnS IhIMANE