Evening star., 1949-01-06
Fairfax May Ask
Court Action in
Sewage Dispute
Water Boord Ruling
On Groveton Plea
To Be Sought First

Members of the Fairfax County
Board Of Supervisors yesterday in.
dicated the courts may be asked t<
settle the countys tangled sewage
disposal problem, as a result OF
protests that ban on further
sewer extensions threatens to block
construction projects.
The supervisors decided first tc
send q five-man committee to the
State Water Control Board for q
definite answer to the county's re-
quest for permission to extend the
Holmes Run sewer to the Groveton
area. They said they never had
received any official reply to that
request, although press reports in
dlcated it was denied.
1t was reported from Richmond
that the Water Control Board could
not approve the request because il
did not include provision for a
sewage treatment plant. Virginia
law prohibits the emptying of ad-
ditional raw sewage into rivers and
streams. The Holmes Run sewer
flows into the Potomac River.
Action Considered.
II the Water Control Board denies
the request. the supervisors indi-
Gated they may take court action
to test the Water Boards right to
prohibit the county from emptying
additional sewage into the Potomac.
After the first visit to the water
board, the supervisors imposed a
30-day ban on further extension of
the Holmes Run sewer. This ban
expires January Is, and no action
was taken yesterday to extend it.
Sanitary Engineer James j. Cor
balls said after the meeting unless
he receives further instructions, he
will resume granting permission for
sewer extensions. The board ad-
journed until pm. tomorrow, how
ever, and can act on extending the
ban at that time.
State Senator Andrew Clarke, who
spoke for several builders at yes
terday's meetings, said the prohibi-
ton of sewer extensions will retard
everything in the county" He said
Arlington and Alexandra had con-
tinued to add sewage to the Potomac
without any redress.
Board Is Criticized.
Mr.. Clarke said the county had re-
ceived no definite answer from the
Water Control Board because it is
closing its eyes" to violations OF the
sewer regulation all over the State.
The State Senator argued that
Fairfax could interpret one of it's
county laws which existed before
the State water control law to
mean that it had the right to grant
some sewer extensions. Mr.. Clarke
said the law he referred to gave
permission for residue that has been
collected from septic tanks to be
dumped into storm sewers, which
flow into the Holmes Run sewer.
G. Hubbard Massey. Fairfax
County consulting engineer who has
prepared a number of the county's
sewer plans, said the sewage law
Is nfiexible and the Water Board
has no 1eeway" to permit the
emptying of additional sewage into
the Potomac. Mr.. Massey said he
believed the county has stirred the
problem up too much"
1S47 Letter Recalled.
It was recalled at the meeting
that the Water Control Board in
l947 had sent letter to the county
allowing Fairfax to continue for
the present to make sewer connec-
tions. The letter also asked that
the county present the Water Board
with plans for a sewage treatment
plant.
Mr.. Corbalis said he did not
believe the Water Board ever had
rescinded that letter He said the
issue probably would not have come
to head had not Groveton sought
to link up with the Holmes Run
sewer. Groveton, he explained, had
sewer plans prepared with Federal
funds. which were granted on con-
dition that they be approved by
State authorities. This. he ex-
planned. necessitated permission OF
the State Water Control Board be-
fore the plans could be used
Private developers have been per-
mitted to tap the Holmes Run
sewer without the Water Board
permission.
The supervisors authorized Mr.
Corbalis and Commonwealth At
torney Hugh Marsh to consult with
the representative of a Baltimore
investment firm about preparing
plans for a 100000 bond issue
to finance purchase of the Holmes
Run sewer from the Government
construction OF disposal plant
and extension of sewer lines.
Appointed to visit the Water Con-
troll Board were Mr.. Clarke, Mr.
Massey. Mr.. Corbalis, Common
wealth's Attorney Hugh Marsh and
ArtL