Evening star., 1950-10-01
Sewage PIanf
Plan in Fairfax
Called Mistake
Granger Likens 1t
To o.MoyIond Action
Token II Years Ago
By jones BirchfieId

BY james Birchfield
Is Fairfax County-by building
a sewage treatment plant-about
to make the same mistake subur-
ban Maryland committed II years
ago? .r
There are those who think so.
Warren Granger, for instance,
who is president of the New Alex
andria Citizens Association. is
fighting the placing of a plant
in his home community just south
of the City of Alexandria.
But regardless of where it is
Situated. he believes that by con-
structing a single plant without
making study to determine if
one facility for all the suburban
Jurisdictions will do, an unneces-
sary debt may be incurred for fu-
ture taxpayers.
Growth Unanticipated.
Mr.. Granger's organization has
led a fight against building the
treatment plant in the area be-
tween Fort Hunt road and the
Mount Vernon Memorial boule-
ward. 1t has advocated that Fair
fax County join Alexandria to
construct one plant or to pump
sewage under the river to be
treated at the District plant.
The action taken in Maryland
in 1889 was logical, 1t was said.
Sanitary engineers agreed at the
time that a treatment plant on
the Anacostia River was the solu-
ton to the problem.
The tremendous growth Of
greater Washington was not an
ticipated at the time. Nor had
engineers conceived the idea that
the Maryland sewage might be
pumped through the District sys-
tenn where it would be treated at
the Blue Plains plant at cost.
This action has been costly. The
Anacostia plant will be abandoned
as soon as arrangements are COM
pleted to have the District treat
sewage originating in nearby
Maryland.
Engineers feel. however. that
this will cost less than the con-
struction, maintenance and oper-
alton Of a new plant for suburban
Maryland.
Sanitary engineers also point
out that the flow in the Anacostia
River is not sufficient adequately
to handle the discharge from a
plant that would be large enough
to handle all subsurban sewage.
The problem facing Virginia
communities is analogous to that
which, confronted suburban Mary
land more than Mayears agoa
Fairfax County IS about to con-
struct its treatment plant on
Hunting Creek regardless of stiff
opposition from residents who
hold that the sewage plant is
being located in the midst of a
residential area.
The county in voting a So mil
lilo bond issue in Sanitary District
No. / for the plant and additional
sewers. acted under pressure.
Warming Given by Board.
The Virginia Water Control
Board, headed by E. Blackburn
Moore of Berryville. had warned
Fairfax County it could not allow
any more homes or subdivisions
to connect to the main trunk
sewer which empties into the
Potomac River. The area Of
Groveton. where overaowing sep-
tic tanks became a health menace.
was specifically denied permission
to connect to the main sewer un-
til treatment facilities were at
least in the preparatory stage.
The serious condition of the
Potomac in the Washington area
was emphasized last week by Har-
old A. Kemp. chairman of the
Interstate Commission on the
Potomac River Basin, who des-
cribed it as a threat to health
and welfare.
Some observers contend study
still can be made to find out if
one plant, or pump line beneath
the Potomac to the District plant,
would not prove less expensive
than one or more treatment
plants for each Virginia COM
munity.
If the cost should prove to be
less, as most sanitary engineers
believe it would. the creation of
an authority to handle all Vir-
ginia treatment problems would
delay plant construction not more
than three months, it is believed,
1t has been suggested, however,
that the bond funds now ear
marked for plant construction
construction could be diverted to
additional sewer lines in the sani-
tary district, an authority could
be formed Immediately which
would handle all treatment ia
cilities for Alexandria and Fair
fax. and possibly Arlington, al
though that county has been cool
toward such an idea.
Under law sponsored at the
last session of the Virginia Gen.
eral Assembly by Delegate j. May
nard Magruder of Arlington, an
authority would have the power
to issue its own revenue-producing
bonds for the construction of it's
facilities.
The authority plan for nearby
Virginia was first suggested more
than three years ago by the Po-
tomac River Commission. About
two years ago the Northern Vir-
ginia Planning Commission spon-
sored the idea and suggested that
a study be made.
Alexandria Council appropri-
ated $1,000 as it's share of the cost.
but the investigation never was
made.
Mount Vernon Citizens