Evening star., 1949-08-28
Fairfax Voters
Decide tuesday
On Sewer Bonds
Issue Of $1,000, 900
Would Let County Buy
Holmes Run. System
By Mory Lou Werner

Outcome OF a Fairfax County,
Falls Church dispute over sewer
service hinges on referendum
Tuesday in which residents Of
Fairfax Sanitary District No.
will decide whether to float a
So, 100000 sewer improvement
bond issue.
Approval of the issue would en-
able the county to purchase the
Federally owned Holmes Run
sewer system, which serves rs per
cent of the houses in Falls Church.
If it buys the system, the county
proposes to raise Falls Church
sewer service charges 10 times.
Falls Church has no say in the
referendum because it is not in
the sanitary district. The city has
decided to stop using the Holmes
Run line if Fairfax buys it. The
Falls Church City Council also
voted to ask the Government to
block the sale.
Falls Church ofhclalS predlcted
the city's withdrawal would make
it necessary for county users to
pay more for retiring the sewer
bonds. The proposed financing
plan calls for an annual payment
of about $4,000 by Falls Church.
Ulterior Motive Charged.
Fairfax Sanitary Engineer
James J. Corbalis. jr.. has branded
the Falls Church action an at
tempt to block the sewer program
because it may hinder the city's
annexation plans. Mr.. Corbalis
said the city always has the priVi-
lege of arranging for sewage dis
posal by other means.
Il do not fear any serious con-
sequences to the financing Of the
sanitary district if the city drops
out" said Mr.. Corbalis. 1T ap-
pears that the revenue from the
expected development elsewhere
in the District and the savings
in the cost of the construction Of
smaller sewage treatment facili-
ties would more than offset the
loss of revenue anticipated from
the city," the sanitary engineer
added.
Although it is estimated that
more than $4,000 people live in
the 30-mile strip that makes up
the sanitary district, county Of
fcials believe only about $500
are eligible to vote.
Any resident Of the district eli-
gible to vote in the November gen.
eral election in Fairfax, or who
voted in the county primaries in
August. can vote In Tuesdays ref
erendum. Polls will be open from
$50 am. until 7:30 pm.
Voting Districts Listed.
The eight voting districts, and
the polling places for each. are:
Groveton, Penn Daw Fire House:
Pullman's. Happy Valley Commun-
ity Hall; West End, C. N. Cock
rells Store; Bailey's. Bailey's Cross
Roads Fire House; Annandale, CO.
lumbia Pines Office; Falls Church
No. /. Jefferson Village Pharmacy.
and Falls Church No. 2 and The
Lick, both will use the Idylwood
Grocery.
Besides purchase of the Holmes
Run sewer for $3.50, 900. the bond
issue also would pay for: Construc-
ton of a sewage treatment plant
for 81 los, 900; extension of exist
ing sewer lines, $1,138,000; acqui-
sition of several large privately
owned sewers, Silt, 900. and pur-
chase of operation and mainten-
ance equipment, $20,500.
To retire the 30-year bond is
sue, a tax levy of 20 cents per $l00
of assessed valuation would be i'm
posed on all real estate in the
sanitary district, and monthly
sewer service fees of $l.50 would
be charged all users. New con-
nections would require payment Of
fee between $3.50 and $500, de-
pending upon the size of the
property, and new connectors
would have to pay for plumbing
between houses and streets. A
SIS permit fee also would be
charged for each new connection.