Evening star., 1950-11-21
Virginia Sewage
Disposal in DC.
Plant Urged
Clarke Asks Study
To Creote Water,
Sewer Authority

SWSi T0tiVtby
Virginia State Senator Andrew
w, Clarke today urged nearby
Virginia communities to study the
possibility of. pumping sewage
across the Potomac River into the
District disposal plant for treat
ment.
Senator Clarke, who represents
Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls
Church in the State Legislature
said he hoped those communities
would join with Arlington County
in studying possible creation Of a
Northern Virginia Water and
Sewer Authority.
While Arlington proposed the
new study primarily because of
its interest in methods of financ-
ing sewage facilities, Senator
Clarke said the survey could look
into the plan he suggested.
"Owe 1t to Taxpayers"
'I think the communities owe
1t to the taxpayers to see if a
joint sewage disposal project
would be cheaper than the in
dividual plants they plan to
build" said Mr.. Clarke.
He added that it seemed OBJ
vious Alexandria, Arlington and
Fairfax should not need separate
plants when a much larger popu-
lation living in the District Is
accommodated by one plant.
Fairfax County has approved
a bond issue for construction of a
separate disposal plant, and
Arlington County has approved q
bond issue to enlarge it's present
plant. Virginia Attorney General
j. Lindsay Almond has ruled that
under terms of the Fairfax refer
endum the bond issue cannot be
used for a joint proposition. The
same ruling might also apply in
Arlington's case.
Gould Ask for Vote Again.
"But If an investigation shows
a joint disposal system would be
cheapest for the taxpayers, -
said Senator Clarke, I'VE could
ask the people to vote on the
matter again"
He said Arlington and Fairfax
voters by approving sewer bond
issues already had indicated their
desire to clean up the Potomac
River, and he felt sure the same
voters would be glad to vote on
a joint proposition If it would be
cheaper.
Senator Clarke said he under
stood District officials already
have indicated that a contract
could be worked out for treating
sewage from Virginia. The Vir-
giraia communities likewise are
specifically allowed to enter into
such an arrangement under pro-.
visions of the States Water and
Sewer Authority Act of 1850.
Senator Clarke said he hoped
the proposed committee also
would consider the possibility of
building one disposal plant in
nearby Virginia if it imprac-
Magruder Indorses Plan.
tical to pump sewage across the
river.
j. Maynard Magruder, Airing
ton member of the House Of
Delegates who sponsored the
water and sewer authorities act in
the House, also indorsed the
new plans for a survey. He said
he had advocated such a study
some time ago, together with
studies for establishment of
various types of regional serv-
ices.
The new proposal by Arlington
County for a regional survey
asks that the Alexandria, Fairfax
and Falls Church each appoint
two representative to serve on a
committee with two Arlington
representatives. It is proposed to
have the committee study water
and sewer authorities act.
Arlington intends to go ahead,
meanwhile, with it's plans for
enlarging its present disposal
plant for which voters approved
a S2,617,000 bond issue.
Arlington more than a year ago
turned thumbs down on a pro-
posal of the Northern Virginia
Regional Planning Commission to
help finance an engineering
study of joint sewage disposal
possibilities. The county acted on
advice of it's consulting engineers,
who reported that Arlington
would find joint plan too ex-
pensive. This was because the
county would have to abandon the
disposal facilities it already
owns. and because any regional
plan-either one big plant in
Northern Virginia or pumping to
the District plant-would make it
necessary for Arlington to pipe its
sewage at large expense to one
central location.