Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1954-05-13
City Manager on
Water e Sewers

II W ~UOH ~ OOCOOI -
Following are the complete
texts of reports on Rockville's
water and sewer preparations
made to the City Council by
City Manager John Mcdonald:
Water
In checking back over the
period of June and July 1853 we
find this period to have beer
fairly well covered as to the
actions taken by the Mayor and
Council and the Interested Citi
zens Groups which became active
and disseminated information to
the public both as to the reasons
for and suggested remedies to i'm.
prove the water situation.
1t was at the regular meeting
of August 5, 1853, that definite
action began to be taken toward
long range plan for the future
supplying of water for Rockville;
previous to this it had been most
ly considered a problem of addi-
tional storage. AT this time def
mite inquiries were made of the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission, the U. S. Army En-
gineers and the Park and Plan
ming Commission who control the
planning in the Potomac River
basin as to their future plans for
the building up of their adjacent
areas.
There were no plans available
other than those by the Washing
ton Suburban Sanitary Commiss-
ion and those were of a very dis
tant nature.
The Army Engineers did not
say that plan for diversion and
filter of water for the use of this
area would not be allowed if the
City should see fit to use this
source. But upon examination of
the cost of a filter plant, the
necessary pumps and booster sta
tons, etc. would be beyond our
ability to finance at this time.
After discussion it was then de-
cided to negotiate with the Wash
ington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission on a basis of purchasing
water by the thousand gallons
through a central metering sta
ton located at the point of in
take into our system. This be-
ing the method used by agree
ment, with Laurel, Greenbelt and
several communities in Anne
Arundel County.
There are several facts to be
noted at this point in this report:
First-That the Sanitary Com
mission at this particular time
and in their planning for the flu
ture of the area only wanted to
allow us up to approximately
100000 gallons per day, of
which we could take any or no
part of it during any twenty
four hour period. This is done
because at this time their filtra-
ton and storage system is in the
process of being revamped and
will probably not be in full opera
ton until 1856. Also they are
planning to build an additional
100000 gallons ground storage
at Wheaton through which our
supply is fed.
Second-That in the future,
any water furnished the City of
Rockville by them would possibly
come from the Seneca Creek
water shed, an area in the North
Western part of the County, a
supply which they have been con-
templating the development of
for a number of years. AS far
as known no definite date has
been advanced as to the begin
ming of this project.
1t was first planned to bring
the feeder line directly up the
Viers Mill Road from its termi-
nation at the intersection with
the old Randolph Road, a dis
lance of approximately 5000
feet to a connection in Twin
Brook at Atlantic Avenue at a
cost of approximately $80,000.00.
The basis of the cost being that
the City of Rockville pay for the
equivalent of a sixteen inch line
for its own use and the Sanitary
Commission to pay for additional
size to take care of its own area.
After reconsideration of the
cost to be spent without the
town, the access mains to the
point of storage and the addi-
tional tax base to be made as
sessable it was thought more
feasible to make the connection
on the Wisconsin Avenue side
where the out of town cost on
the same basis of payment would
be only 100000.
1t is true that there would be
a considerable higher cost of
hook I'D at the present time with