Evening star., 1952-06-20
New Picnic Areas Sought in Rock Creek Park
ToRepIuce 19 Sites Closed by Sewage Overflow

National Capital Parks employees
today were scouting Rock Creek
Park for new picnic areas to re-
place the 10 closed because OF
contamination from sewage over
flow.
Harry T. Thompson. acting
superintendent of parks, said 1t
was hoped that by the end OF next
week enough temporary locations
will have been designated to equal
the number shut off from public
use.
Signs were posted warning visi-
tors away from the area where
raw sewage pours over the ground
from the Rock Creek main trunk
sewer running parallel to the
creek.
officials warned the public to
keep children from wading in the
affected section. Picnic permits
already issued are being Cancelled
by telephone or special delivery
mail.
William H. Cary, jr., head OF the
Bureau of Public Health Engi-
neering, pointed out the danger
of gastro-enteric diseases fos-
tered by open filth and flies.
Amoebic dysentery is a possibil-
ity, he said. Typhoid is a less
likely, but conceivable hazard, he
added.
Creek Use Meets Opposition.
l. District officials plans to allie
viate the situation include one
proposal expected to meet opposi-
Ition from Federal and District
health officers. It would pipe sew
|age out of the line directly into
Rock Creek.
The parks Office is in a position
to block the move.
Mr.. Thompson said that office
has been guided in similar matters
by health officials.
Their view has been, he said,
that it is preferable to leave
restricted area contaminated than
to concentrate pollution IN the
whole lower creek valley.
Os it is, Mr.. Thompson warned,
the whole stream is polluted. But
to concentrate the sewage flow
into it would create new problem
and contaminate a larger area.
II Seventeen other threatened
spots are on higher ground and
mot considered unsafe yet for use
|Mr. Thompson said. The park has
a total of 62.
). Building a new sewer line Will
take an estimated IA months and
1.-THE contamination problem is ex-
lpected to exist at least that long
i Equipment Moved.
!, All movable equipment has beer
, taken away. The affected areas
, compose the largest picnic space
lin the park and could accommo-
date hundreds of people.
Beach drive is the heaviest traf-
, fic artery of the park.
Mr.. Thompson said he expected
, today to receive recommendation:
, from health officers for sanitary
> measures. They probably will in
r clude spraying DDT to kill t1ie'
and other disease carriers, plowinl
under the ground periodically anc
Timing to hold down odors.
During the last several months
1.-THE District has attempted to stoI
the sewage overflow from thu
manholes by raising them from
3 to z feet. This, however. ha'
built up so much pressure in TIT
sewer that officials fear a majol
4 breakdown.
: Already there are four break'
d in the line within a distance O
S about 1000 feet. One Is undel
the ground on the bride path
!. where there is a stretch that ha
K stayed muddy for several weeks
|. Other breaks. believed to hav'
il occurred since Monday. are wher'
!. the sewer crosses small streams
: running into the creek.
d Nearly every day, the sewage
comes out of the tops Of th'
|. Imanholes and flows across th'
yIground into the creek. Mr.
n Thompson estimated this volume
d at about 20 gallons q second from
e one manhole alone.
| The District plans now to lowe