Evening star., 1944-06-19
New wWater Plan
For D.C.Stirs
Interest on Hill
Legislative Leaders
To Study Move for
Centralized Control

Centralized Control
Members of Congress today dis.
played lively interest in the report
Of the McCarran subcommittee oi
the Senate District Committee, rec.
ommending that the Districts water
supply and distribution system bt
put under centralized control anc
treated as a regulated public utility
Both Senators and Representative.
who have taken an active part ir
District legislative affairs said they
wished to make a detailed study oil
the recommendation as soon az
possible.
Senator McCarran, Democrat, oi
Nevada, former chairman of the
District Committee and now head OF
the Senate Judiciary Committee
was In his home State today, but his
bill to carry out the recommends
tions of his subcommittee was to be
introduced for him by another SEN
ator.
Randolph Promises Careful Study.
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee said: while ]
have not had chance to read the
McCarran subcommittee report on
its long investigation of the water
system, or the McCarran bill, / am
In favor of any considered move
that will put the system on a more
efficient basis and elimiante any du-
plication of effort or cure any lack
OF coordination that may now pre-
vail.
"The recommendation and the
bill, am sure, will be given careful
study by appropriate committees of
Congress"
Senator Burton, Republican, of
Ohio, who has played an important
role in the work of the Senate Dis
trict Committee, described the Nc
Carran subcommittee investigation
and its report as worthwhile" sub
jects for consideration by Congress
He stressed that the report and the
bill deal with highly important mat
ters, adding that he would want to
make a very careful study before
deciding what should be done.
Senator Overton, Democrat, of
Louisiana approved in principle the
McCarran bill for reorganization
Of the water service, but pointed out
that it deals with only one factor in
the broad subject of fiscal relations
between the United States and the
District.
Overton Is Gratified.
"It is very gratifying to me 10
note the favorable report of the
subcommittee studying the water
system. recommending payment by
the Federal Government for the
water uses in the District of Co
lumbia," said Senator Overton, who
is leading advocate of a more
equitable Federal participation in
the expenses of the National Capt.
tai. TT is a recognition of one Of
the phases Of the more compre-
hensive plan for an increased Fed
eral payment covering all factors
OF the fiscal relations problem. /
approve the principal of the bill, al
though 1t is not improbable there
should be some amendments"
Senator Overton suggested that
the member of the Water Board to
be appointed by the President should
be an engineer, as well as having
the Engineer Commissioner on the
agency. He approved the provision
for a local business man as the
other member.
Senator Capper of Kansas, rank
ing Republican member of the Dis
trict Committee, also Endorsed the
report.
Stefan Protested Inequities.
Representative Stefan, Republican
OF Nebraska, ranking minority
member of the House Appropria-
tons Subcommittee handling Dis
trict appropriations, likewise said he
regarded the investigation report as
something very worthy of congress
sional consideration. He has pro-
tested that it is unfair to District
water users to have to carry the
financial burden of the huge guam
titles of water which the District
provides free for Federal institu-
tions.
Mr.. Stefan said today he wanted
to see that "all concerned get q
square deal" but added that he
could not pass judgment on the Nc
Carran plan until he had time tc
make a detailed study of the report
and the bill
One provision of the McCarran
bill Is that the centralized water
administra ton, provided for in the
bill, would be forbidden to grant
free water service to any one except
churches and charities.
Control of the two major divisions
OF the water system now is split be-
tween the Army Engineers Corps
which supervises the supply branch
and the District Water Department
under the Commissioners, which has
control of the distribution system
the billing and collecting.
Would Create Corporation.
Under the McCarran plan, contro
over the whole system would be
placed with quasi-municipa
corporation, to be created by act o
Congress, which would consist of &
Federally employed lawyer, to b,
designated by the President; tn.
Engineer Commissioner of the Dis
trict, to represent the city govern
ment, and bona fide resident O
the District, to be appointed by tn,
Commissioners, to represent the tax
paying public. This board woult
name a managing director to be tn,
executive in charge of all waite
service operations
Meanwhile. District officials statet
they had not as yet seen the waite
report.
Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler
however, did make this comment:
1T has the earmarks of being
fairly well-rounded plan and it i
definitely well worth considering
II iS 0pe of tbe haSt S,,uooctio,,