Evening star., 1936-05-27
GLENN DALE WELL
FAILURE, CHEVERLy
PIPE LINE SOUGHT
Sultan Negotiates for Line,
/ Announcing Projects
Abandonment.
PLENTY WATER FOUND
BUT QUALITY is POOR
Construction of 4-Mile Connec.
ton Estimated to Cost District
About $4,000.

With the Districts well drilling
project at Glenn Dale, Md. failure,
negotiations have been opened by
Col. Dan I. Sultan, engineer commits
sioner, for the construction of a
pipe line from Cheverly, Md. to the
site of the new tuberculosis sani-
tarium.
Col. Sultan announced abandon
ment of the well project late yes
terday after reaching rock core at
q depth of $50 feet. Plenty of water
was found, he said. but its quality was
SO bad elaborate treatments would
have to be given to make it suitable
for human use.
The only alternative now, he con-
tinued, is to pipe the water from the
reservoirs of the Washington-M Mary
land Suburban Sanitary Commission.
This, Col. Sultan said, will mean the
construction of line for about four
miles and will cost the District ap-
proximately 100000.
The District has an ample supply
Of funds for laying Of such a main.
About year ago. when digging of
ed. the P. W. A. stipulated that the
District set aside s150,000 for an ade-
quate water supply. This was in ac-
cord with wishes of the Commis-
sioners.
Since the contractor employed to
dig the well reached bedrock and
found an adequate supply of water.
he will be paid about $4,000 for his
work.
Drilling Cost Near $4,000.
Well drilling operations to date have
cost close to $4,000. some saving
having resulted in refusing to case
the lower levels when doubt first
arose about the quality of the water
found. Original agreement with the
Virginia Well and Machinery Co.
called for the expenditure Of about
$4,000 for the well but the agree
ment was conditioned on the. success
Of the project.
Considerable difficulty has been en-
countered at Glenn Dale from the
beginning. The United States Geologi-
cal Survey advised the District Off
cials where to locate water, Sultan
explained, and their advice was cor
rect. An ample supply was found at
780 feet, but its quality led to further
exploration.
At the 830-foot level, the bit was
lost. from the drill. This held up
operations for several days last De-
cember, the contractor finally aband-
oning the huge steel drill there when
it could not be removed. The drillers
finally went around the bit, continuing
to the $50 feet depth, where bed rock
was found.
Under plans for the pipe line, which
Col. Sultan has already submitted to
the Public Works Administration for
approval. the construction will be
done jointly by the District and the
Suburban Sanitary Commission.
Cost Put at Near SI50,000.
For a line graduated down from a
16-inch pipe at Cheverly to a 10-inch
line at Glenn Dale, the cost is esti-
mated at close to $150,000. With the
District paying 500, 1000, the remainder
would come from the commission.
The same line will be available for
tapping by new consumers in the area
surrounding Glenn Dale and the route
from Cheverly to the hospital site
The hospital is expected to use
about 200 gallons of water per person
per day, or a total of about 200, 900
gallons daily from the time the con-
nection is made. The maximum
average use, Sultan said, may reach
500, 900 gallons daily. This is based
upon a hospital capacity of TOO pa
tients with 800 employees and attend
ants also being housed there.
The present plan is the third to be
considered by the District officials
At one time consideration was given
the possibility of building a 10-inch
pipe line from the District line to
Glenn Dale, distance of more than
40 miles. Cost Of the right-of- way, the
dimculty In obtaining authority for
the project from Congress and the
total cost caused abandonment of the
plan.
H. Sultan and his aides were confident,
however, the deep-well plan would
solve the problem. He said yesterday
that If quantity alone had been the
determining factor the well would
have been success. but the necessity
OF elaborate treatment involves Sc
much cost as to be impracticable.
Hill. Rate Agreement Lacking.
No agreement has been reached
with the Suburban Sanitary Commits
sion as to the water rate to be paid
after the line is constructed, although
On agreement exists now under which
the District supplies an auxiliary OF
standby service to nearby Maryland
.Iat q rate based on actual cost oi
pumping and delivering the water. A
similar arrangement is expected to Be
worked out for Glenn Dale.
sI; When completed the Glenn Dale
Hospital project will cost approx
i1iiately $2.5o0. 900, including the wa
ter system, and all equipment.
Announcement of the change in the
plans was made by Col. Sultan after
i conference of nearly four hours with
Capt. Hoel S. Bishop, jr., and Capt
Robert e. York. Assistant Engineer
commissioners, and E. G. McGrew Of
the municipal architects ofice.