Evening star., 1951-01-08
Alexandra Asks
Time for
Sewer Study
Water Board Order
Is Unjust, Member
Of Council Declares

VI SOunCII DeCIOTeS
The Virginia Water Control
Boards order directing Alexan-
dria to have a sewage disposal
plant in operation by July, 1852,
was termed unjust today by an
Alexandria councilman.
Marshall J. Beverley, who spon-
sored resolution last month that
put the City Council on record in
favor of building a sewage dis
poSal system as soon as possible,
said the city should have more
time to study a regional disposal
program.
1.-The (water) board should not
lose sight of the fact that too
much haste now could result in
piecemeal and makeshift meas
ures that would prove wasteful
and inadequate in the long rum"
Mr.. Beverley said.
Council to Meet Tomorrow.
He observed that Alexandria,
Falls Church, Fairfax and Arling-
ton are studying the possibility
of constructing a regional dis
posal plant for nearby Virginia to
pump sewage under the Potomac
River for treatment at the Dis
trict's plant.
City Manager w. Guy Ansen
said he received a copy of the
water boards order this morning
and would bring it up for con-
sideration at tomorrow nights
Council meeting. He said he
would recommend that the city
continue to study the possibility
of joint sewage disposal pro-
gram, but did not yet know wheth-
er he would suggest that the
Council appeal the water boards
decision.
Under the law the city may
petition for rehearing or
appeal the decision to the Circuit
Court at Richmond.
Delay Acknowledged.
To meet the water boards dead
line. engineers say, Alexandria
would have to start work imme-
diately on its 81 million sewage
disposal program. Alexandria now
empties its sewage untreated into
the Potomac.
Mr.. Beverley in his statement
acknowledged that there has
been much delay up and down the
river on anti-pollution projects.
State authorities are right in be-
lteving that constant pressure is
needed to obtain action by tagging
cities and counties.
But why should the board
single out Alexandria while Ar
| lington and Fairfax are dumping
sewage into the river?
The board should grant Alex
andria a reasonable additional
period in which to complete the
pending study of joint sewage
disposal program. including the
possibility of sewage pipeline to
the District plant"
Order Given to Dayton.
Meanwhile. in Richmond. the
State Water Control Board today
ordered the town of Dayton to
eliminate poultry packing wastes
from its sewage discharges and
to prepare plans for a town sew
age treatment plant within the
next three and one-half months.
Enforceable in the courts. the
order resulted from formal hear
ing called by the board last
Wednesday to look into the towns
unsatisfactory progress in cut
ting down pollution of Cooks
Creek. a tributary of the North
River near the Rockingham
County community
Meeting Postponed.
In another action, the board
today postponed until it's March
meeting the pollution problems Of
the Northern Virginia Construc-
ton Co.. sand and gravel pro-
ducing firm on Cameron Run
near Alexandria.
A formal hearing in this case
also was held Wednesday by the
board after Fairfax County Off
cials and citizens complained that
clay washings from the plant were
finding their way down Hunting
Creek to the Potomac River.
Counsel for the firm told the
board that a company study of
pollution was not ready for pres
entation. The board postponed
the hearing, reserving the right
to introduce new evidence which
it gathered.