Evening star., 1945-08-05
Group 10 Map
Potomac Basin
Pollution Drive
Interstate Meeting
Expected to Set Up
Zoning System
BY JAMES BIRCHFIELD.

Zonin9 SyStem
BY JAMES BIRCHFIELD.
A broad plan for correcting poll
luton abuses and for taking ad-
vantage of potential uses of the
Potomac River basin will be formu-
lated Friday and Saturday at
meeting at Hershey, Pa, of the
Interstate Commission on the Po-
tomac River Basin.
The commission, which consists
of representatives from Virginia,
West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsyl-
vania, the District and the Federal
Government. is expected to estab-
lish zoning plan that will set up
pater pollution criteria for streams
in the basin.
Also up for discussion will be
research projects to lessen water
contamination from industrial es-
Establishments, methods of relieving
sewage contamination and other
long-range antipollution programs
to conserve the priceless water re-
sources" of the 14,500-square-m mile
drainage basin.
Tests of Water Quality.
In its coming plan for the basin,
the commission hopes to set up four
main tests of water quality which
it will endeavor to reach and main
tain in the future. This plan will
be an elastic one, subject to adjust
ment as necessary.
For example, the basin may be
divided into four main zones con-
sisting of four classes of water.
Glass A water would be that found
in the streams at the headwaters OF
the rivers making up the basin,
and would be water fit to drink with
no treatment other than chlorina-
tion.
Glass B water would be satisfac.
tory for bathing, recreation and for
fish life, while Glass C water would
include water for industrial proc
esses and for domestic use after
treatment. Glass D, the lowest clas-
siflcation, would be water that would
be kept in general sanitary condi-
tion to prevent nuisance.
Zoning Map Planned.
Glass 4 water, for example, would
be found at the District, at Cum
berland, NJ, and at ,other indus
trial sections along the rivers of
the basis. Travelling down the rivers
of the basin from their. headwater.
past the polluted. or Class D area
at Cumberland. zoning map would
show an area of less pollution, or
Class B water, 10 Williamsport, Pa,
where pollution FROM Hagerstown
would drop the qualify to Class C.
Through Loudoun County, Va.
and Montgomery County, Md, the
river again would be in Glass B
until just below Great Falls, where
it would be influenced by the Dis
trict- industrial area.
These changes in water quality
are the result of the ability of run
ming streams to purify themselves.
The speed of self-purification is de-
pendent on the amount OF pollution,
water volume and distance of flow.
Home Reforms Started.
In discussing research projects to
combat industrial pollution, commits
sion engineers explained that many
industries in the area already have
instigated reforms, and that the
commission will seek to further
these and to discover economically
feasible" ways of increasing anti
pollution programs.
OF the SO industries listed as dis
charging wastes directly into Po-
tomac basin streams, 48 now treat
their wastes in some manner be-
fore discharge, or have changed
their process to reduce pollution,
commission engineers explained.
The discharge from these plants
is estimated at 32,000,000 gallons
per day, while discharges from the
so other plants that do not treat
their wastes are estimated at 2l,-
100000 gallons per day.
NiscOse Spent S135,000.
The American ViScose plant at
Front Royal, Va, recently spent
$l35 900 for a treatment plant
to relieve pollution in the Shenan-
doah, and other plants throughout
the basin are considering similar
programs.
The commission estimates that
the 124 communities in the basin.
with populations over 500, discharge
approximately 100, 100000 gallons of
sewage into the streams each day.
OF this amount, 10000 900 gallons
receive no treatment and 1900, 900
gallons receive only secondary
treatment.
In relieving sewage pollution, the
commission will seek to promote
cooperative sewage processing
plants among communities in vari-
Gus areas, thus cutting the expenses
OF plants to each community.
Anacostia River Discussed.
Already plans are under discus
sion, 1t was said, for the Washing
ton Suburban Sanitary Commission
to connect with the District pro.
cessing plant at Blue Plains, thus
correcting pollution problem in
the Anacostia River from the Sani-
tary Commissions plant near Blad-
ensburg, where about 20 per cent
OF the sewage now enters the river
with only superficial treatment. It
is expected that this plan will be-
come effective as soon as materials
are available for the extension of
measures at Blue Plains.
Plans also are being discussed for
cooperative disposal plant for Ar
lington County and Alexandria, thus
relieving the necessity for Arlington
alone to expand its present facili-
ties. These, commission officials
said, are the methods that will be
used in sewage pollution abatement.
Would Be Far Reaching.
"A successful stream pollution
control program must recognize the
interrelation Of all water resources
Of the entire basin," the commits
sion has pointed out. A program de-
signed to meet this definition could
conceivably be far-reachinp in its