Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-09-24
NAVY UNIT READY
T0BEC|N Work. ON
RIVER POLLUTION
100000 Ordered Given to
Buerau in Form of
P. w. A. Grant.
INTERPRETING SEWER
WILL BE BUILTIN YARD
Sanitary Engineers Rushing
Plans for Extensive Job
in Rock Creek,

Secretary Of the Interior Ickes said
today the Navy Department is pre-
pared to proceed Immediately" with
construction of an authorized inter-
cepting sewer at the Washington Navy
Yard to remove pollution resulting
from discharge OF raw sewage into the
Potomac River.
The 100000 for this work, which
has received presidential approval, to-
day was ordered turned over to the Bu-
reau of Yards and Docks in the form
OF a Federal grant from the Public
Works Administration. The sum was
included as part of a $283,7 in
grants made for Federal agencies.
Meanwhile, it was learned, District
sanitary engineers are rushing plans
for extensive sewage construction to
eliminate pollution of Rock Creek. AS
In the case of the Navy Yard, P. w. A.
engineers have been cooperating in
these studies
A survey of conditions now existing
at the Navy Yard, which Secretary
1ckes said had been made by the Navy
Department, indicated raw sewage is
deposited from the Yard at several
points.
1ntercepting Sewer.
In order to provide tor treatment
OF this sewage" he said, 1T will be
necessary to construct an interceptine
sewer which could be connected to the
main interceptor of the District of
Columbia inside the Navy Yard and
before the sewage reaches the District
pumping station, located Immediately
outside the Navy Yard reservation.
This proposed intercepting sewer would
be "a inches and So inches in diameter.
Inc Navy Department is prepared to
proceed Immediately with the work"
Secretary Ickes has not divulged
what plans he has in mind for elimi-
nation OF sewage pollution in the Rock
creek area nor has he intimated
whether the District is expected to
snare in the cost of this work. The
oeadllne for applications is Septem-
Der 30.
Whether large or small expendi-
ture is contemplated for this pollution
work depends entirely on Mr.. Ickes'
decision. If he intends merely to
make a start, few hundred thou
sand dollars would be sufficient in
view of the $4,000 allotment recent
ly made for sewage construction which
VIII help remove some of the pollution
IN Piney Branch and the Luzon
Valley.
Engineering studies indicate a mini
mum expenditure of 100000 is es-
sentlal to accomplish any effective
anti-pollution measures in the Rock
Greek area. Estimates for the work
range as high as 100000.
$4,000 for Study.
The National Resources Committee
which has undertaken a Nationwide
study OF six-year P. w. A. program
was given an allotment of $4,000 to-
day to assist In this work. Another
grant Of s28,709 was awarded to the
Division of Territories and Inland
Possessions. The fund will be used to
remove the agricultural experimental
station in the Virgin Islands to a new
site.
The experiment station now occu-
pies site on the Lindburg Bay Estate,
st. Thomas, which the Navy Depart
ment desires for establishment of a
Marine Corps air base.
A third grant of $4,000 was made
to the United States-M Mexico Interna-
tional Boundary Commission to under
take an engineering study for pos
sible flood control project along the
Rio Grande River and the Gulf of
Mexico.
Mr.. 1ckes also approved "a additional
non-Federal projects having an esti-
mated construction cost Of SIC, 1893, 976.