Evening star., 1955-01-06
Fairfax Seeks
Purchase Of
Wafer Concern
Starts TcIks TO Buy
Ann0nddIe Utility,
Worth 500, 900

HlluHuuie OiHitN
Worth $oOO, 900
Fairfax County Is entering ne
gotiations to buy the privately
owned Annandale Water Co.
which serves about 5000 homes
in the thickly developed subur-
ban area that lies between An
i1andale and Falls Church.
The Board Of County Super
visors yesterday, on motion OF
c. B. Runyon, instructed County
Executive c. c. Massey and Com
rnonwealth's Attorney Robert
Fitzgerald to start the negotia-
tions after Mr.. Massey reported
owners Of the utility were in
terested In selling.
Valued At 100000.
Acquisition Of the Annandale
Water Co. would give the county
Q healthy start in It's plans to
establish an integrated public
water system. Annandale is one
Of the largest water firms serving
the county. It serves an area
that would be right in the CEN
ter OF any integrated system the
county might hope to operate In
the future.
Mr.. Massey said the State
Corporation Commission lists the
value Of Annandale Water Co.
as slightly above $9O0,0OO Most
OF the water it distributes is
bought from the Virginia Water
Co., which has q reservoir on
occoquan Greek.
Acquisition of the Annandale
Water Co. would put the county
IN the water business on q large
scale for the first time. The
only other water facilities owned
by the county are within the
town Of Accotink, where about
81 homes are served. The county
owns the mains and the Army
supplies the water.
Alexandria In Market.
Meanwhile, the county is keep
ing an eye on efforts by the City
OF Alexandria to acquire the pri-
vately operated Alexandra Wa
ter Co. The Alexandria utility
also serves a part Of Fairfax
County and is a parent company
Of the Virginia Water Co. The
supervisors authorized q commit
tee composed of Mrs. Anne wiz
kins. G. B. Runyon and Arthur
Shaffer to meet with the Alex
andria council committee study
ing possible acquisition of the
Alexandria Water Co.
The county also Is awaiting
reports from engineers and fl
na1lcial consultants on the feasi-
bility of establishing an inte-
grated water system under
county operation.
Prodded by citizens, who are
anxious to hear details Of the
master plan proposed by con-
sultant Francis Dodd McHugh,
the supervisors voted to ask the
planning commission why the
McHugh plan has not been re-
leased to the public. The reso-
luton asks that members Of the
planning commission appear
before the supervisors next
Wednesday to explain the delay.
The resolution, offered by Mrs.
Wilkins, also advises the plan
ming commission that the super
visors feels the McHugh report
should be released to the public.
Plan Outlined In November.
The McHugh plan was OUT
lined in newspaper stories In
November, when 1t was com
pleted. That was when the
planning commission arranged
q press conference. and held q
meeting with the supervisors to
acquaint them with details Of
the McHugh recommendations.
At that time, the commission
said it planned to arrange q
series Of public meetings to ac-
quaint the public with the pro-
posal. Since then. however. 1t
decided by q 6-5 vote not to give
the McHugh plan any more pub
licity for another month while
the commission studies 1t further.
Spokesmen for civic groups
and the League of Women Voters
who appeared before the super
visors yesterday protested that
preparation OF the McHugh plan
cost the taxpayers $i50.000. and
that they were entitled to see It
before the planning commission
imposes any changes.
Mrs. wilkins. the supervisors
representative on the commis-
sion. said she was one Of the
five who wanted the McHugh
plan fully publicized right away.
She said she failed to under.
stand how the commission could
decide what changes to make
before getting the public's views
on Mr.. McHugh's recommends
tions.
Sewer Contracts Set.
Contracts for sewers to serve
the Mclean area were awarded
by the supervisors yesterday
from the current SO million
sewer bond issue. NJ. j. Bles
was awarded / $405.l4S contract,
and the Intercounty Construc-
ton Co. received q $273,446 con-
tract. Both were low bidders
on the two jobs. which together
represent the entire sewer pro-
gram proposed for the Mclean
area under the $40 million In
sewer bonds sold so far.
Notice was received from the
Arlington County Board that It.
is interested In dumping ashes
from the Arlington incinerator
on Q l00-acre site on Pole road
in Fairfax County. The property
is owned hy George L. and