Evening star., 1947-12-18
Sya!te Approves
P ami
For Arlington
Water Control Board
Clears PIons; Low
Interest Rates Cited
BY jones BirchfieId
Stor Stoff correspondent

treatmenf plant. along with the cur
suggestion that money may be bor-
rowed at very low interest rates
The boards action here yesterday
was unanimous in approving plans
for the, proposed treatment plant
that would correct, to a large extent
present pollution in Four Mile Rur
near the. National Airport.
The financial advice came from
Board Chairman E. Blackburn
Moore, Winchester, who pointed out
his home city has taken advantage
of low rates in financing a similar
project.
A. T. Lundberg, Arlington County
manager. and C. L. Watkins, Alex.
andria city engineer, appeared be.
fore the board to answer a complaint
by National Airport officials thai
untreated, or partially treated
sewage from the two Virginia com.
munities is a threat to the airport.
fire control system, which takes
water from Four-Mile Run.
d. c. Aides Heard.
Others appearing at the boarc
session included Harold A. Kemp
District sanitary engineer, ane
Ralph Furhman, in charge of tht
Districts sewage treatment plant al
Blue Plains, who answered com.
plants that sludge from the Blue
Plains plant that is taken to Lortor
for disposal is creating a nuisance
in Pohick Greek.
Mr.. Lundberg, who explained thai
Arlington has outgrown its present
treatment facilities until almost
two-thirds of the sewage by-passe.
the treatment plant and emptie.
into Four-Mile Run untreated, sale
he could make no predictions as tt
when the county might be able tt
construct an additional plant.
He said plans for proposed
plant, to cost about s1,200,O00, hac
been completed and sent to thu
board for approval. 1t was at thi!
time that the board voted 10 ap.
prove the plans.
Following Chairman Moore's sug
gestion of low interest rates, Mr.
Lundberg said he would not lik,
to make any predictions when {
bond issue for the plant would bt
brought before the people, or wha1
the result would be-
Sees Opinion Divided.
Some people are not in favor Of
building anything at present high
COSTS" he said, while others see
1t differently. You just can't tell
what would happen"
Mr.. Watkins said Alexandria is in
much the same position as Airing
ton. Plans have been completed for
a treatment plant and interceptor
sewers that would eliminate all dis
posal into Four Mile Run, he said
but no plans have been advanced
for financing it.
Mr.. Watkins explained that, If a
bond issue were approved for con-
structing the plant, an additiona,
service charge would be necessary
for its operation.
Il believe, within the next three
or four years" Mr. Watkins said
"the people of the Virginia area vii
demand that the Potomac Rivel
water front be improved and beau
tilted.
alexandria is in the direct patti
Of all sewage from upstream" Mr.
Watkins said The river current!
bring it right by our door,
Airport Blamed in Part.
He explained that the airport alst
is responsible for part of the con-
dition in Four Mile Run. When th'
airport was built, the shore line wa
changed, and this affected the flow
of the stream, he said,
Answering complaints that th
District is polluting Pohick Creel
by dumping sludge from its treat
ment plant at Lorton, Mr.. Kemp anc
Mr.. Furhman said tests during th'
last four years indicate the creek il
no worse than any open stream flow
ing through an agricultural area.
Mr.. Kemp said that. while tht
sludge pile is a potential threat
to the stream. 1t is not contributing
to pollution at this time.
The District has launched pro-
gram to improve its treatment facil
tiles" Mr.. Kemp said BY 1851, WI
will no longer ship sludge to Lorton
In the meantime, we are contracting
to sell the sludge for agricultural
use. We have assurance that, dur
ing the next few years, more sludge
will be shipped away from Lortor
than we deliver there
Program Outlined.
Mr.. Kemp explained the District!
program to increase treatment facil
tiles will include the addition O.
sedimentation and digestion tanks
sludge drying and incarceration facil.
tiles and facilities to precipitate {
larger portion of solids from sewage
During an executive session
earlier, the board considered ar
offer by three industrial plants or
the Shenandoah River to finance 6
comprehensive biological survey tt
determine the extent of damage thai
trade wastes and sewage cause t.
aquatic life and what additiona
steps should be taken to restore tht
river.
The plan would supervise the sur
vey, to be conducted by DR.. Charlie
E. Rem, director of the Johns Hop
kins University sanitation labora
tories. The study would cover
three-year period, and the first yea
would cost about $4,000.
Industries offering to finance tn
plan are American Viscose Corp
Front Royal, Va; E. I. Du Pont D
Nemours & Co.. Inc, Waynesborc
Va, and Merck g. Co., Elkton, Nc
Silver Spring Cob Driver
Beaten, Blocks Holdup