Evening star., 1951-08-02
Fairfax Report
Asks Sanitation
Set-Up
Unanimous Booking
Given Proposal BY
Study Committee

Creation of a Fairfax County
Sanitation Authority to operate
water. sewer, garbage and trash
services in. the county has been
recommended by special COM
mittee appointed to study santa
ton problems.
James J. Corbalis, county sani-
tary engineer made the recon-
mendation known yesterday in a
report to the Board of Supervisors.
The 12-member committee was
appointed by the supervisors early
this year, after Mr.. Corbalis sug-
gested creation of a sanitation
authority.
Mr.. Corbalis said members Of
the committee were unanimous in
their support of the authority
plan. He estimated it would be
80 days before a detailed report
is completed setting forth the
committees reasons for favoring
an authority and outlining how
the authority would function.
Service Charge Financing.
When Mr.. Corbalis first de-
scribed the authority to the board
in January, he likened it to the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission that serves nearby
Maryland. The principal differ
ence would be that a Fairfax
authority could not rely on tax
levies for support and would
have to finance its operation
solely through service. charges.
Authorities like the one pro-
posed for Fairfax were authorized
by the 1850 session of the General
Assembly.
Fairfax County at present has
no public trash and garbage serv-
ice. All water service is from pri-
vate companies, except for some
places near Falls Church where
the water system of that city pro-
vides service.
In his report to the supervisors,
Mr. Corbalis said the committee
feels establishment of an author
ity offers "the best answer to the
water supply and distribution,
sewage collection and treatment,
and garbage and trash collection
and disposal problems as con-
trasted with the present piece
meal method of attempting solu-
tions through the creation Of
numerous independently operated
districts"
Seen as Realistic.
The committee said it also be-
lieves the authority plan offers
a realistic, approach to effective
comprehensive planning in pro-
viding required public services and
that it provides for the assump-
ton of costs by he recipients Of
the services without the necessity
of imposing taxes on the real or
personal property concerned.
thereby assuring that the needs
of the urban areas are not pro-
vided at the expense of the rural
areas, or vice versa"
Mr.. Corbalis reported low bid
of 81, ,309.400 was received for con-
struction of a sewage disposal
plant to serve Sanitary District
No. 1.~ He said he and G. Hubbard
Massey, consulting engineer, were
studying ways of cutting costs
before making a recommendation
to the board about accepting the
bid.
The sanitary engineer added,
however, that if the bid is not
accepted by August 26, the county
will lose its Government priority
for construction of the plant. A
suit by residents of Belle Haven,
New Alexandria and other areas
near the plant site seeks to block
construction of that location.
Counter Suit Suggested.
Robert R. Dye, supervisor of
Centreville District, moved that
Mr.. Corbalis and Commemorative
Attorney Hugh B. Marsh investi-
gate the feasibility of filing suit
for damages against the residents
in case their litigation delays con-
struction of the plant. He said
the object of the suit would be to
reimburse the county for any loss
to be incurred as a result of delays
occasioned by the citizens suit.
The resolution was voted down,
however, with only Mr.. Dye and
Supervisor c. B. Runyon support
ing it. The other supervisors said
they would rather wait and see if
a compromise could be worked out
with the residents.