Evening star., 1948-12-30
Health
Peril Rises With
Sewer Problem
State, Fairfax County
Must Take Action
In Groyeton Area
By james BirchfieId


Tons of raw sewage empty every
day into the Potomac River through
lines built with Federal funds in
Fairfax County because wartime
shortages made earlier construction
Of treatment facilities impossible.
AS a result, one of Washington S
faSt-groWing suburban areas faces
the problem of maintaining its rate
of development and complying with
Virginias popular new stream pol
luton law.
The State Water Control Board
and Fairfax County authorities
have winked at violations until now,
but the matter is coming to a head
In the Groveton area, southwest of
Alexandria.
Health Peril Increases.
There, septic tanks in a fast
growing community are becoming
health menace with overflow re-
ported seeping into schoolyards.
Groveton wants to do something
about it now, but can't. Residents
would like to connect with the
Holmes Run trunk line which the
Federal Works Agency built in 1914.
while the Government was building
the project, Fairfax County at
tempted to have treatment facil-
tiles included in the plans, but the
War Production Board turned
thumbs down on this suggestion.
In 1916 the Virginia General AS
sembly needed demands that
streams be cleaned up and kept
clean. More teeth were put in
the States anti-pollution laws,
which created the present Water
Control Board. And this board
recently has warned cities and
counties that they may no longer
disregard their responsibilities by
failing to provide adequate treat
ment plants.
Consequently, the board looks
with disfavor on either Groveton
or other Fairfax County communi-
ties adding to the volume of ef-
fluent that already empties. un-
treated, into the Patomac River
about 700 feet ofTshore opposite
New Alexandria.
Warned of Violation.
In fact, the board fatty refused
Groveton's request and warned the
Fairfax County Board of Super
visors that the State law is being
violated in allowing new connections
to the trunk.
The remedy proposed is $3.000,-
900 bond issue to acquire the trunk
sewer, which the Government has
agreed to sell for $500000; to con-
struct treatment plant which can
be increased in capacity in the fu-
ture, and to make lateral trunk con-
nections with subdivisions which,
like Groveton, cannot tie in with
the system without State Water
Control Board approval.
The bond issue would have to be
approved by voters in Sanitary Dis
trict No of Fairfax County.
1t has been estimated that about
20 miles of new sewer lines have
been connected to the trunk since
its completion. The Water Control
Board cites the 1946 State law, pro-
hibiting the emptying of additional
sewage into State streams by in
dustries or municipalities.
While it was feared in some
quarters that the boards ruling
would halt future development in
the Fairfax area, county officials
were inclined to gloss over this
possibility 1t was the opinion of
most officials rather that the board
would go along with the county"
as soon as it has concrete evidence
of steps to correct the situation.
More than a year ago the Inter-
state Commission on the Potomac
River Basin suggested that sewage
might be treated more economically
in the Virginia area if one large
plant were constructed to handle
wastes from the city of Alexandria
and Arlington and Fairfax Counties.
1t also was suggested that the
Virginia communities might in
vestigate the possibility of pumping
sewage under the Potomac River to
the District plant at Blue Plains.
If this were possible, it would call
for enlargement of the District
plant, with the Virginia communi-
ties bearing a portion of the costs.
A similar arrangement already
has been worked out between the
District and the Washington Sub
urban Sanitary Commission in near
by Maryland. Sewage that now
empties into the Anacostia River
soon will be flushed through the
District system.