Evening star., 1951-05-11
Sewage Survey
Awaits State
Board Decision

w ~AS
Alexandra Delay
Is Sole Concern
By Mary Lou Werner
Star Staff Correspondent
RICHMOND. May 11.-A deci-
sion of the Virginia State Water
Control Board was awaited today
on a proposed engineering survey
to determine the best method OF
sewage disposal for Arlington,
Alexandria, Falls Church and
Fairfax.
After hearing details of the pro-
posed survey outlined yesterday
by an interim committee Of the
four communities. Water Board
members said the only question
they must decide is whether Alex
Iandria should be permitted to hold
up construction of a separate
sewage disposal plant before the
lsix-month survey is completed.
Alexandria now is under orders
from the Water Board to have
sewage treatment facilities in op-
Grafton by July l. 1852.
E. Blackburn Moore. board
chairman, said he believes the
survey could go ahead without
the Water Boards approval or
disapproval. But officials of the
Northern Virginia communities
and their engineers said it is i'm
portant that Alexandria be per-
mitted to wait, for several rea-
sons. ...
Several Areas a Problem.
1.-THE problem in Alexandria is
that they have three or four
drainage areas" said Arlington
County Manager A. T. Lundberg
For separate plant they would
have to construct interceptor sew
ers in one direction. and for a
regional proposition it is likely
THAT the interceptor system would
have to flow in the opposite direc-
tion."
Mr.. Lundberg added that the
lsituation is different in Arling-
ton and Fairfax, where plans are
going ahead for individual dis
posal plants. although the two
communities at the same time
propose to participate in the re-
gional survey. In those jurisdic-
tions, he explained, sewage flows
almost naturally to the plant
locations.
M. H. Klegerman of Alexandria
Potter Associates and Thomas M.
Niles of Greeley and Hansen,
which are the two firms that
would conduct the survey, pointed
out that the Arlington and Fair
fax plants contemplate only pri-
mary treatment. and said those
communities are interested in the
survey to determine what future
Icourse they should follow to pro-
wide a higher degree of treatment.
Actually. it would have been
the logical thing for Arlington and
Fairfax to wait for the outcome of
this survey before doing any,
thing" said Mr.. Klegeman. but
they had mandates from the voters
confronting them. Alexandria,
however. is in position to take full
advantage of the study"
Cites Rapid Growth.
Albert A. Smoot reminded the
Water Board that the Northern
Virginia area sis growing very
rapidly and the value of this sur
vey is that we can expect to solve
the pollution problem for so years
or more"
Mr.. Klegerman said the survey
would show whether the jurisdic-
| ltions should proceed independent
lily with sewage disposal plants,
join in operation of several region
al plants or pipe sewage to the
District plant at Blue Plains for
treatment. One Water Board
member wanted to know if piping
sewage into the District plant
would remove the Potomac River
lpollution problem from the Water
Boards control.
Robert w. Cox of Arlington, and
a member of the interim commit
ltee, said such an idea had not
occurred to the committee when
lit talked of that possibility.
At the end of four months, the
engineers said, it may be possible
to tell whether Alexandria should
Igo ahead with it's independent
plant. Within six months, they
said, the survey will be complete.
Estimates Design Delays.
If the answer is to pipe sewage
to the District. the engineers esti-
mated it would take another six
months to design the siphon. If
the answer is a combination of
disposal plants on the Virginia
side of the river. the engineers
ESTIMATED six to eight months
would be needed to carry out that
design. In addition. they said,
several months should be allowed
between the end Of the survey and
the beginning Of working plans
for whatever method is recon-
mended.
Fred Gray of the State Attorney
Generals Office, who sat in on the
lhearir1p asked il the SllrVeV might