Evening star., 1954-03-14
Population Increases
Bring More Acute
Pollution Of Potomac

ton contains a discussion of
hotU the river got in such bad
condition. This is a resume
ot 1t:
Pollution in the Potomac River
has risen steadily with the in
crease in population along It's
banks. Little less than 100 years
ago Potomac River, water was
considered pure enough to be
used untreated by Washington
residents for drinking and other
household purposes.
Shortly after 1900. however,
typhoid fever, carried down.
stream from upriver communi-
ties, made plain to health au-
thorities the influence Of the
river on the health Of District
residents.
A pattern Of growth in the
Washington area was clearly de-
fined during the city'S early his
tory. From its very beginnings
Alexandria and other urban
communities In the area were
independent Of Washington
Even Georgetown was a separate
political entity until 1871. These
communities were separated by
rural areas. and there was no
idea at the time that future
growth would make the COM
munities contiguous.
Wartime Impetus.
The report points out that
growth of residential communi-
ties in Virginia and Maryland
was rapid after World War I,
and that World War II gave
added impetus to suburban ex-
pansion. This growth. which Is
continuing at the present time,
has increased the pollution In
the river.
No other metropolitan area in
the country is similar to that
of Washington, the report points
out.
1.-The District Of Columbia was
designed to serve as the seat OF
the Federal Government. Thus,
Government employment Is the
principal occupation Of Washing
ton residents, as well as those
living in the surrounding satel-
lite communities =.
Industry has not been en-
couraged to locate in the area,
except for service and building
industries, which serve the needs
of the most Of Government
workers"
The report states that because
of the structure of the District
government, and because so
many of it's residents are natives
of other sections, the residents
of Washington have not been so
active in civic and governmental
affairs.
Government Big Factor.
The report points out further
that while more stable citizenry
is developing who display a
greater activity. in area develop
ment, the Federal Government
to a large extent determines the
policies for development OF the
Metropolitan Area.
The report also points out that
Washington has undergone a
growth pattern unlike any other
city in the Nation. From 1880
to 1910 the Metropolitan Area
increased from 621 ,054 to 967 1886,
or 44.8 per cent. Only two other
similar cities had comparable in
creases-Houston, Tex. with an
increase of 47.8 per cent. and
Austin, Tex. with an increase
Of A per cent.
World War II resulted In q
phenomenal growth pattern in
the Washington area, according
to the report. The area grew
from 987 ,985 as of April l, 1910.
to 1,464 ,089 on April /, 1850.
This was a population gain of
sos per cent.
THE growth Of the Metropoli-
tan Area has far outstripped the
construction of treatment facil-
ities and the very nature OF the
river in this area makes it more
susceptible to pollution from
sanitary sewage.
Tide an Influence.
EWashington is located at the
head of tidewater and the
Potomac River here is Influenced
by tide and winds as well as by
flow.
The tides and the winds that
blow upstream may push water
back along the river and. in
periods of low river flow, it may
require a drop Of water more
than 40 days to pass out of the
Metropolitan Area.
The river. here thus assumes
the characteristics Of a lake or
lagoon and, under heavy loads
Of sewage pollution, acts as a
cesspool.
Millions of gallons of raw or
partially treated sewage flow into
the Potomac each day to lie in
the still water until decompoSi-
ton gradually takes place. This
accounts for the odors that are
SO familiar to users of the river,
Nature, fortunately, has given
to rivers tremendous powers Of
self -puriflcation. Swiftly flow
ing streams gather oxygen
which in turn helps attack and
break down suspended organic
matter.
The Potomac as it approaches
Washington is comparatively
free of the pollution that has
entered the stream from head
water communities.
However, at the point below
Great Falls where the District
takes it's water supply, there still
is. evidence of upstream pollu-
tion.
according to the report the
chances are better than one In
six that a water sample taken
at this point will contain coli