Evening star., 1946-05-24
Potomac Basin States
Urqed 10 Fix Uniform
Standards on Wafer

Standards on Wafer
By james BirchfieId
stor stoff Correspondent
NEW GERMANY, Md, May "a
States through which the Potomac
River and its tributaries flow will be
asked to establish uniform standards
for water quality in the basin as
adopted here today by the Inter-
state Commission on the Potomac
River Basin.
At its quarterly meeting in the
Savage River State Forest here,
members of the commission-repre-
sentirg Maryland, Virginia, Penn
sylvania, West Virginia, the District
and the United States Government
adopted classification plan for the
Potomac Basin providing for the
establishment of definite water quail
lty crlteria, or minimum standards
of purity to be maintained through
out the basin.
These criteria range from pure
water suitable for drinking purposes
with the addition of chlorine and
found only at the extreme head
waters OF streams feeding the Poto-
mac, to water adjoining industrial
areas that will be kept in such gen.
eral sanitary condition SO as to pre-
vent 1t becoming a nuisance" Other
classifications include areas where
streams will be maintained at a
purity beneficial to bathing. fish
life and recreation" and to areas
where the water will be suitable for
domestic water supplies and for in
dustrial purposes
Class ID Area Here.
In the Washington area, for ex-
ample, the water has been placed in
class D. or that to be maintained
pure enough to prevent it becoming
nuisance. This classification also
will apply to the Cumberland, Front
Royal and other industrial areas.
Much of the Potomac River, from
Cumberland to the Chesapeake Bay,
falls in class C, or that area in
which the water will be maintained
suitable for domestic and CONNER
cial use.
By far the largest area, however
falls in class B. where the water is
to be maintained pure enough for
bathing and recreation and for the
development of fish life. This area
includes the upper reaches of the
Potomac and such tributaries as the
Shenandoah and the Cacapon Riv-
ers.
Basic Standards Seen.
In adopting the criteria. it was
pointed out that a tentative classif-
cation plan was accepted by the
! commission last summer and was
sent to the various members TO,
further comment. The present
crlteria. 1t was said contain revi-
slons suggested by the various
States.
Since the States involved have
generally approved the criteria. il
was said, their adoption by the com
mission should be tantamount te
enactment by the States.
! In presenting the criteria, the
/ commissions technical committee
pointed out that the classification
should not be rigid, but may become
basic standards for water purity ir
/ the basin from which each State
may make more detailed standards
to apply to certain areas and to be
used in the control and abatement
Of pollution in that State.
I Principles Followed.
In establishing the criteria. the
committee said, the following prin.
clples were followed:
/ Only such standards as can be
used as a guide of water quality
when all conditions affecting water
purity are considered should be
established, and the standards fixec
! should be only for minimum require
ments.
The standards should be reason.
| able in the light of present day
knowledge. and should be such that
they can be met within the limits
Of present-day treatment practices
They should be easily determined
and it should be kept in mind that
no one standard can be devised tc
cover water quality within the entire
basin.
In the use of the water quality
criteria, the committee said. it
should be kept in mind that they
provide only guide in connection
with any sanitary surveys of the
area.
| In the enforcement of pollution
control, the committee said, it may
be easier for each State health de-
partment to set up standards for
waste discharges which will provide
a water quality equal to that estab-
llshed by the commission. These
crlteria, it was added. should be
easily reached within the next few
years.
Sewage Agreement Reached.
At the commissions opening ses-
sion yesterday Harold A. Kemp. Dis
trlct sanitary engineer. announced
that an agreement, under negotia-
ton since last August, has been
reached whereby sewage from near
by Prince Georges and Montgomery
| Counties will be pumped into the
District lines to be treated at the
Blue Plains treatment plant.
Mr.. Kemp said the new arrange
ment will relieve the present pol
luted condition in the Anacostia
River. He said at present 20 per
cent of the nearby sewage receives
no treatment before being dumped
into the Anacostia, while the re-
naming 80 per cent is only partially
/ treated.
/ Under the new plans, Mr.. Kemu
/ said, all of the sewage from the