Evening star., 1954-03-14
FuII-ScaIe Assault
Aimed 10 Cleanse
Potomac Is Urged
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boating, swimming, picknicking,
etc. It has been under discus
sion in one form or another by
various planning agencies for
years.
In strongly worded section
the commission urged that q
careful study be made of the
part that the Federal Govern
ment should play in abatement
work in the area and it said
the Government should assume
a greater part Of the RESPONSE
bility in financing the projects.
The report pointed out that
many current problems are
caused by the failure of separate
jurisdictions within the Met
ropolitan Area to coordinate
their efforts toward pollution
abatement.
while plans for the imme-
diate development Of sewerage
systems have in general been
adequately co-ordinated." the re-
port stated, nevertheless there
is need for a long-range plan for
sewerage systems Of the area
which can serve as a basic pat
tern for future development.
"Such a plan should be de-
veloped disregarding political
boundaries and should empha-
size, instead, the engineering and
economic aspects involved"
In the long-range plan, the
report stated, emphasis should be
placed on areas where future ex-
pansion is likely. The plan also
should take into account the
need for rebuilding and replacing
sewers as they become over
loaded.
No treatment facilities in the
Metropolitan Area, with the ex-
ception Of the Pentagon plant.
have been adequate when COM
pleted.
In Washington. primary treat
ment is insufficient to eliminate
undesirable conditions in the Po-
tomac. Plant additions have been
planned to provide from rs to 80
per cent Of the pollution by 1860.
improvements Needed.
However, the report pointed
out that additional treatment
facilities in the District are not
the whole answer. Extensive i'm
provements to the sewer system
also are needed.
The report showed there are
70 relief points in the sewer
system that discharge automati-
cally when rainfall exceeds sewer
capacity. OF these, IL discharge
into the Potomac, 13 to the
Washington Channel, l8 to the
Anacostia. % to Rock Greek and
four into Piney Branch.
The report pointed out that
storm sewers in the District
should be separated from the
sanitary sewer system, thus COR
recting problems caused by
heavy rainfall
In the Maryland area. the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission operates two treat
ment plants - one in the Bla-
densburg area giving primary
treatment and one near Cal
thersburg providing secondary
treatment to wastes flowing into
Muddy Branch.
Plans have been completed
and financing arranged for con-
Meeting .he suburban commits
sion's sewers to the District Sys-
tenn. This is being delayed by
incompleted contract arrange
ments with the District.
The report emphasized, how
ever. that in correcting the pol
luted conditions in the Anacos-
tia through the agreement with
the District, for a time raw
sewage will be dumped into the
Anacostia in the vicinity of East
Capitol street.
The report regretted that the
lack of adequate financing to
continue adequate lines to the
District plants will result in the
condition.
Cost Broken Down.
The commissions estimate of
the cost Of the proposed program
-$62 ,248, ,000-was broken down
like this:
District of Columbia-Sewage
treatment Dlant EI3 million and