Evening star., 1952-12-05
Council Pushes
Sanitation Plan
In Alexandria
Names Five Members
Of Authority During
Special Session

the City Council approved, on first
reading, an ordnance naming
members of the proposed au-
thority and estimated construc-
ton costs and tentative service
changes. The ordinance contains
three alternative construction
plans to make it possible for joint
use of facilities with Fairfax
County.
After final adoption of the ordi-
nance, at the regular Council
meeting on Tuesday and pub
lie hearing on December 20. actual
creation of the authority then
will rest with the State Corpora
ton Commission. Alexandria is
the first community in the State
to ask for such an authority
under legislation adopted in 1850
by the General Assembly.
Members Named.
Authority members named in
the ordinance are Linwood E..
Reed, an engineer; Albert A.
Smoot, former councilman: l.. H.
Dudley, banker: Chester G. Pierce.
banker, and William T. Wilkins,
former Mayor.
Three possible construction prof.
ects are outlined. All provide for
a sewage treatment plant to be
located west of Payne street at
Hunting Creek. The plant would
afford intermediate treatment, de-
signed to remove 80 per cent
of the suspended solids and Is
to 80 per cent of the putresci-
BILE matter. Alexandria currently
empties all sewage untreated into
the Potomac River.
The cost of the project to serv-
ice Alexandria alone is estimated
at 81 million, and the rates for
customers would be approximately
SO per cent of current rates
charged by the Alexandria Water
Co. Water bills for residential
users now average $50 to $40 a
year, and the sewer bills would
vary accordingly.
Intercepting Sewers.
Intercepting sewers are pro-
posed for this project as follows:
/. Along the Potomac River
from above Pendleton street to
the treatment plant. This sewer
would follow Union street for most
of it's length.
2. Along Commonwealth ave-
nue. from Reed avenue to the
treatment plant.
3. Along Holmes Run and Cam
eron Run from the city limits to
junction with the Common
wealth avenue sewer at Hooff's S
run.
The second project in the ordi-
nance provides for partial joint
program with Fairfax County. This
includes all the facilities necessary
for the first one, except that one
main trunk sewer would be relo-
Gated, several lines would be en-
larged. and one pumping station
would be enlarged. Under this
plan. Fairfax would make use OF
the city's sewer lines but would
not send any county sewage tc
the city treatment plant. The
cost of this project is calculated
at SO million with Alexandria s
share estimated to be S6,230,00
and Fairfax's S1,770. Rates fol-
Alexandria customers, under this
plan, would be about 79 pei
cent of water rates now In effect
Third Plan.
The third plan covered by the
ordinance provides for complete
combination with Fairfax County
It would require all the facilities
needed for the partial combination
plan, plus larger capacity at the
Alexandria disposal plant. Under
this plan, Fairfax would use some
of the citys mains plus the city
treatment plant for excess county
sewage when the plant Fairfax
currently is building becomes over
loaded. Total cost of this project
is estimated to be $9.2 million
with Alexandria putting up Sc
million and Fairfax $32 million
Rates for Alexandria users WoulC
be approximately rs per cent o1
water bills.
The council released a state
ment accompanying the ordinance
emphasizing that the figures con-
tained in it are preliminary esti'
mates.
CONSTRUCTION costs and rate.
charged may vary from the esti
mates shown" the statement said
however. every effort was made
to make the estimate as accurate
as possible under the circum.
stances"
1t added that figures on th'
ALLEGATION of costs between Alex
andria and Fairfax may particu
larly vary:
These figures are not binding
and the Authority may decide Il
complete one or more portions O.
the project.
Expresses Gratitude.
The statement expressed graft
tude for the groundwork of tn
Interim Committee on Sewag
Disposal in Northern Virginia
which was set up by Alexandra
Fairfax, Arlington and Fall
Church to study possible join
action. An engineering survey in
Itituted by that committee shove,
that Alexandria and Fairfax coul,
save money by arranging joint us
of their facilities
ut should also be noted her
that a considerable savings to bot
Alexandria and Fairfax, not Showl
in the estimates, would be realize,
in the years to come if a com
bined project were entered into a
this time. because the facilitie
would be so designed that an
necessary expansion could b
more easily and economical
made"