Evening star., 1952-01-07
Potomac Basin
Anti-Po|Iution
Project Urged
Cost Is Estimated
At $40-$50 Million
By Health Service

BY Health Service
Projects estimated to cost from
$40 to $50 million were recon-
mended today by the Public
Health Service to relieve pollution
in the streams of the Potomac
River Basin.
The recommendations for the
Potomac were contained in a re-
port on the North Atlantic Drain
age Basin prepared by Health
Service engineers in cooperation
with State agencies. The report
said a minimum of 81 billion in
funds are needed for abatement
projects in the drainage area.
The North Atlantic area in
cludes the Great Lakes drainage
area in New York State and the
Atlantic watershed area from the
Hudson River to the Potomac. It
involves all or portions of Della
ware, Maryland, Massachusetts,,
New Jersey, New York, Penn
sylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West
Virginia and the District.
recommendations Made.
In an introduction to the re-
port, Surgeon General Leonard A.
Scheele said much data on stream
pollution is still to be developed.
Data and knowledge now avail
able are sufficient, however" he
said, Ito permit the immediate
solution of many of the pollution
problems within the North Allan
tic drainage basins without await
ing the results of additional
surveys"
The report makes the following
recommendations:
/. Acceleration of water pollu-
ton abatement programs.
2. That municipalities, Federal
and State institutions, industries
and others responsible for po1lu-
tion take positive action to provide
for pollution abatement.
Would Cut Silt Loads.
8. That water pollution control
agencies undertake Investigations
to provide the additional informa-
tion necessary for the further
ance Of comprehensive pollution
control programs.
4. That industries intensity
present efforts and develop new
approaches toward practical solu-
tions for presently unsolved in
dustrial waste pollution problems.
5. That land management pro-
grams be supported vigorously to
reduce the silt loads now reaching
the streams.
6. That State and local govern
mentS stimulate detailed studies
on methods of financing abate-
ment projects.
z. That public information pro-
grams regarding water pollution
control be continued and expanded
through every available means.
Recreation Use Limited.
The report points out that rec
reation uses of the Potomac, par
ticularly in the Washington area,
have been reduced by pollution,
and lists the projects needed to
improve the river.
The report says the Potomac
and it's tributaries receive the dis
charge from 1856 municipalities
which serve a population of l.
SGT 900, and that industrial wastes
are discharged into the streams
from 102 plants, of which u per
cent produce organic wastes. The
two main areas of pollution, it
stated, are the Luke Cumberland
area and at Washington. includ-
ing the Potomac and the Ana
costa Rivers.
The report said that sewage
treatment facilities are provided
for 86 municipalities serving a
population of 100000. About
70 per cent of this sewage re-
ceives primary treatment, and
there is no treatment available
for so municipalities, serving
about 13 per cent of the popu-
lation served by sewers.
Half of Plants Treat Waste.
Industrial waste treatment facil-
tiles are provided for So, or about
half of the industrial establish
ments, the report stated. No
treatment facilities are provided
at 80 plants and the situation at
the remaining II plants is un-
determined.
Discussing the effectiveness of
existing treatment plants, the re-
port said that approximately SO
per cent of the municipal plants
are of adequate design and are
operated in a satisfactory man.
ner. There are q per cent of
unsatisfactory design and opera
tion and 20 per cent are unde-
termined.
New Facilities Provided.
Industrial waste facilities are
satisfactory at approximately 38
per cent of the establishments
and unsatisfactory at "a per cent
and undetermined at the remain
ing % per cent, the report stated.
The report points out that a
new plant has been completed at