Evening star., 1951-08-24
Sewage Plant
Contract LET for
Fairfax Site
Foes of Location
Weigh Moves to
Bur Construction

Opponents of the Westgate site
for Fairfax County's new sewage
disposal plant today were con-
sidering whether they can do any
thing to prevent construction OF
the $l.2 million project author
lied by the Board Of Supervisors
yesterday.
County Attorney Robert c. Nc
Candlish, jr., advised the board
yesterday. however. that the threat
of court action by residents OF
the area was no reason to defer
awarding Of the contract.
Any one seeking an injunction
to halt the project. Mr.. McCand-
lish said. would have to be pre-
pared to post bond Of at least
$100. 900.
The opponents have maintained
that the board was unreasonable
in seeking to locate the plant In
a residential area. They also
have contended that the Board OF
Zoning Appeals action in approv-
ing the site is illegal.
Bid Figure Cut.
The contract was awarded yes
lterday to the Blackwell Engineer
ling Co. Of Warrenton. The firm
had previously submitted bid Of
Isl ,309, 400, the lowest Of four.
County Sanitary Engineer
James j. Corbalis said that nego-
ltiation with the company had
brought this figure down to ST.
213, 700, eliminating $95,700 for
equipment which could be ac-
quired later.
Mr.. Corbalis said the amount Of
the contract for construction Of
the plant exceeds by $4S0,739 the
amount allocated in a bond issue
by the voters of Sanitary District
No. about two years ago.
The engineer said that pro-
posed construction Of new sewer
lines will have to be reduced by
% per cent to meet the added
cost.
Annexation Factor Cited.
If Alexandria is successful in an
annexation suit now pending be-
fore the State Supreme Court OF
Appeals, he added. this would re-
lease about $150.000 proposed for
construction in that area and
would mean a total reduction OF
work in the rest Of the area OF
about Is per cent.
Mr.. Corbalis urged immediate
action on awarding OF the con-
tract because of rising construc-
ltion costs and the expiration Of
National Production Authority ap-
lproval of the project next Tues
Iday. He added that the county
lis paying interest on the bond
money and taxpayers would have
la right to demand that the con-
struction get underway.
He also warned that the State
Water Control Board might forbid
installation of more sewer lines
If the plant is not built. He said
the county has a moral and legal
responsibility to help reduce pol
luton of the Potomac River.
$4,000 Population
The population of the Sanitary
District to be served by the plant
lis about $4,000 and includes the
thickly settled portion Of the
county bordering Arlington and
Alexandria. Falls Church also is
served by the county sewer system,
The 21-acre site is between Fort
Hunt road and Memorial boule-
ward, and also lies between the
Belle View Apartments and the
Marian Forest Buckneil Manor
residential areas. It is near the
Potomac River about 112 miles
south of Alexandria.
The supervisors rejected an al
ternate site in an industrial area
closer to Alexandria at Hunting
ton, between Telegraph road and
Blunt's lane.
Mr.. Corbalis said it would be
costly to change the location now
and he also showed the super
yiSorS' figures. which indicated
that the number of people living
near the industrial site is about
the same as the number living
near Westgate.