Evening star., 1937-07-29
New Sewage Disposal Plant
Placed in Limited Operation
Slaughter House May Bring More
Troubles to Long.Ouerdue Project;
election of Pump Delays Full II ork.

FOlOmac OF any OF ltS tributaries
within the District This old law is
being examined in connection with
the Gobel plans for fear of excessive
drainage of obnoxious waste from
the packing plant and stockyards into
small stream that empties into the
Anacostia
Should the proposed slaughter house
be built and operated at large capacity
before the sewage disposal plant is
completed, sanitary engineers assume
the problem at Blue Plains-now and
later-Will be greatly increased.
With respect to improving bad river
conditions the addition of probably a
million gallons of slaughter house sew
age daily would serve to nullify the
effects of the treatment certainly un-
der present operations. With the treat
ment plant operating at about one
fourth capacity only that equivalent
amount of the sewage can be subjected
to purlfication. The overflow will be
discharged untreated into the Potomac.
Present Plants Capacity.
The present plant was designed 10
meet the needs Of a population of 650.-
600, expected several years ago to be
reached by l945. The controversial re-
port on the slaughter house declares
that if the plant kills between 3loO
and $500 animals daily-its planned
maximum capacity-the water waste
would be equivalent to domestic sew
age of 100000 people
In view of estimated population in
1887 of around 100000, the addition
of any overload of meat packing waste
would serve to hasten the day when
District officials will have to arrange
for an extension of the sewage plant.
The cost is regarded as prohibitive.
Blue Plains is at the extreme south
ern tip of the District. The 25-acre
site Of the sewage plant lies north OF
Oxon Run Bay on the Potomac. Sew
age is being discharged from it now
| through long conduit into the river
at Shepherds Landing, across from
| Alexandria.
Once the sewage reaches the Blue
Plains plant it is pumped to level of
35 feet above ground. The sewage then
| turns into series of long grit cham
bers for settlement Of grit. In these
chambers the large suspended matter
stone, gravel etc.-is eliminated.
Next the sewage goes through huge
| grease separating tanks, two in num-
Der, where all the grease is SKINNED
off. The fourth step, vital part Of
| the mechanism. passes it into IL sedi-
mentation tanks where it remains for
period of about two hours. In this
way the solids are separated from the
| ef1luents. 1t is then let out by gravity
| to the river
Residue Pumped Out.
The residue of the sewage flow Is
pumped to large digestive tanks for
separate treatment. There the sludge
is oxidied by slow process From
there the water is pumped into condi-
tioning tanks and then into de-
watering tanks. Finally the oxidied
and dried product, ready for use as
fertilizer, will be carried out to pier
on the water front, dumped into scows
and toWed to Occoquan. Arrangements
have already been made for its use at
the Lorton Reformatory.
When the plant is in complete opera
ton by next Spring, pollution in the
river at Washington will be greatly
improved. 1t cannot serve its full
purpose, however. until Maryland
sewage is completed in the Washington
Suburban Sanitary District and pollu-
ton from Alexandria is remedied.
The Blue Plains plant is expected to
handle an annual daily average Of
lis, 100000 gallons Of sewage from
Washington. In the Summer it will
run higher and pollution troubles will
become more aggravated because of
the usual low flow in the Potomac
While present primary treatment would
give only 80 per cent puriication,
sanitary experts say the 80 per cent
treatment afforded from secondary
system would more nearly solve pollu-
ton troubles.