Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-12-14
Fairfax Urged
Back Public
Water System
Health Council
Asks Supervisors
To Support Plan

~ SuPPVtt i0H
An urgent plea to the Fairfax
Board Of County Supervisors to
support creation Of a regional
publicly -owned water system was
approved last night by the Coun-
ty Health Council.
The council. In a special meet
ing at the Health Center in
Fairfax, Endorsed q report by
It's water committee. The re-
port said that "for health rea-
sons primarily and also for
growth, fire protection. civilian
defense and civic attractiveness
and economy. a publicly -owned
integrated system is essential"
Solution to the problem OF
steadily diminishing supply and
rapidly increasing demand, the
report said, lies in obtaining
water from the Potomac River.
On Regional Basis.
The council recommended
that "the approach to this should
be on a regional basis with the
City of Alexandria, Fairfax
County, and the City of Falls
Church and the towns of Hern-
don, Vienna and Fairfax Coop
Grating.
The water committee is headed
by r. Shield McCandlish. Fair
fax attorney. Members are Bern
ard Mullady. Frank Waters,
Delegate Omer Hirst. Jack Lii
lard. DR.. Harold Kennedy. cpur-
ty health officer, and r. M.
ToWnsehend, executive director
of the County Chamber of Com
merce.
About $1,000 people Of the
county's total of approximately
10000 obtain their water from
wells, the committee reported.
Their needs Of about 6.5 million
gallons a day are threatened by
dropping water table. the group
said.
Private water companies have
failed to meet the need and
charge widely varying rates. the
committee asserted.
Study Launched.
The supervisors. now carry
ing out an integrated $40 mill
lion sewer program. already
have launched a preliminary
study of water systems and fa-
cilities serving the area.
Joseph H. Freehill. council
chairman. said last nights meet
ing was called because it was
felt the supervisors schedule
for water system improvement
will not provide facilities in time
to avoid serious health hazards.
The committee said there has
been a 'lack of real planning on
a regional basis" by the author,
tiles of Arlington, Falls Church,
Fairfax, and Alexandria. The
present 100000 population of
these areas is expected to rise
to 100000 within 20 years.
The present source of supply
for Alexandra and 10000 people
in Fairfax County - Occoquan
Creeks inadequate to supply
the population expected in
those areas, the report declared.
The Alexandria City Council
is studying a proposal by Vice
Mayor Leroy Bendheim that the
city acquire the privately -owned
Alexandria Water Co.
A subsidiary of Alexandria
Water Co., Virginia Water Co.
serves part of Fairfax County.
The committee remarked that
Fails Church with admirable
foresight has obtained a supply
from the District of Columbia. :"
A Fairfax system should be CO.
ordinated with Falls Church, the
report recommended.
1.-THE three towns Of Fairfax
County which supply water are
Fairfax. Vienna and Herndon
and all three depend on deep
wells" the report stated. ITO
allow for their growth and to
enable them to attract light in
dustry. 1t cannot be contemplate
ed that they will be able to de-
pend on a deep well supply. They
must be included in an integrat-
ed system"