Evening star., 1952-06-19
Sewage Survey
Cites Savings in
Joint Facilities
Alternative Plans for
Arlington, Fairfax and
Alexandra Compared

Arlington, Fairfax and
Alexandra Compared
Alexandria, Arlington and Fair
fax can save money, if they ar
range joint use of sewage disposal
facilities in each community.
That is the conclusion reached
by engineers studying the pol
luton problems of nearby Virginia.
Their latest recommendations
are contained in a progress report
made public of the survey said it
would be cheaper to have seperate
plants in Alexandria, Arlington
and Fairfax. 1t. was indicated at
that time, however, that there
might be some saving by treating
IA portion of Alexandria's sewage
at the Arlington plant.
Governing bodies of the affected
communities decided they wanted
to know more about the possibility
of money-saving joint operations
They instructed the engineers to
work up accurate cost estimates
of the most feasible plans.
Another Report Due.
Costs of Alexandria Fairfax
Joint operations, and joint Alex
andria Arlington arrangements
are discussed in the new progress
report. All that remains to be
completed in the survey is a re-
port on possible joint arrange
|ments between Arlington and
Fairfax for Pimmit Run and
other remote Fairfax areas.
Co operation between Alex
andria and Fairfax is listed in
the progress report as the big
|gest money-saver. although this
plan ranked third when the first
report was made. The change
was brought about principally by
the engineers realization that
Fairfax County's plant now under
construction will reach it's capac-
ity within 10 years, and the main
Fairfax trunk line will need to
be enlarged in five years.
This led the engineers to con-
slider three possible alternatives
for treatment of Alexandria and
Fairfax sewage:
l. Separate Alexandria and
Fairfax plants, with a new plant
needed in Fairfax by 1862.
2. Alexandria annexation area
sewage to Fairfax, and a separate
plant at Alexandria to accom-
modate the old portion of the city.
50 Million Cheapest Plan.
3. Immediate treatment of sew
age from the old portion of Alex
andria at a separate plant, with
sewage from the annexed area
going to the present Fairfax plant
and future treatment of all excess
Fairfax sewage at the Alexandria
plant. @
The engineers found that Plan
No. 3 would be cheapest in both
initial construction and cumula-
tive long-range costs. They cal
Iculated initial construction cost of
Plan 3 at $9,018, 900; Plan z. at
$10.7O1 900, and Plan l, at SILL
351 900.
Over the entire 59-year period
covered by the survey, Plan 3
would cost about $5,776, ,OO0-or
18 per cent-less than the next
cheapest project. The total saw
ing within the next 18 years would
be about $564,O00.
The recommended plan would
mean a larger plant at Alexandria
than now is contemplated. Alex
landria would save money, however,
because part of the cost would be
borne by Fairfax. And within five
years. Fairfax would save money
because it would not have to build
Ia new plant.
The problem that remains is
whether the two communities can
|get together and work out the
legal, financial and engineering
problems before Alexandria be-
gins construction of its plant.
The city already has it's bond at
torneys working on a bond refer
|endum proposal and specifications
for the treatment plant are being
put into shape for bids.
4 Possibilities Studied.
The possible joint Alexandria
Arlington plan recommended by
the engineers would result in a
smaller saving than the Alex
andria-Fairfax combination.
-Four possible arrangements were
studied. All were directed par
ticularly at the Four Mile Run
area sewage of Alexandria which
flows naturally in the direction
of Arlington County's plant. The
four plans considered were as fol-
lows:
/. Treatment of all Alexandria
sewage at the Alexandria site.
2. Treatment of all sewage from
Alexandria Four Mile Run area
at the Arlington County plant,
and a separate Alexandria plant
for the remainder of the city. -
3. Treatment of sewage 4
the Alexandria Four Mile Hun
area within the original city limits
only at the Arlington plant.
4. Treatment of sewage from