Evening star., 1955-10-30

Controversy svirls ever so miIlk ..ss
bond i..ss. See pss II
system with . $30-millon reve-
nue. bond issue to be voted On
November ..
While the builders report does
not specifically indorse the $40
million bond issue. II agrees with
many Of the arguments used by
the county In behalf Of the bond
program.
The survey Of county water
resources and requirements was
made by Fayette M. Latham,
technical director Of the Home
Builders Association Of Metropo-
Titan Washington.
Major Conclusions
Major conclusions Of his study
are:
/. The Alexandria and Vir-
ginia Water companies inter-
locking private utilities supplied
from occoquan Greek, should
not serve an area larger than so
square miles.
2. The Falls Church municipal
water system can serve up to 30
square miles.
3. The balance Of Fairfax
County. not serveable by the
Alexandria, Virginia or Falls
Church systems Is In dire need
Of water service.
4. The Potomac River offers :.
well-coordipated source Of sup
ply controlled by Army Engi-
neers.
II Private Companies.
The proposed county system
would integrate some IL existing
private water companies into
one public system supplied from
the Potomac River. The Alex
andria and Virginia Water COM
panies. wholly -owned subsidi-
aries Of American Waterworks.
have opposed the bond issue.
They have argued that expansion
of their Occoquan Reservoir can
supply up to so million gallons
of water q day, and other parts
of the county could be served
through the Falls Church sys-
TEN.
According to Mr.. Latham, Oc-
coquan can supply no more than
40 million gallons Of water q day.
Part Of this would be required
for the city Of Alexandra. which
Is supplied entirely BY the
Alexandria Water Co.
ITS not hard to figure that
the area they should serve consti-
tutes under so square miles or an
area five miles across from the
Potomac River. and reaching
from the Arlington County line
TO Occouuan / Greek. excluding
Government areas which have
their own water supply the re-
port states.
WouId Limit Service
The city Of Alexandra would
account for Is square miles Of
the total Occoquan service ter
ritory recommended by Mr..
Latham.
Mr.. Latham adds, however,
that the area now serviced hy
Occoquan should not be dis
turbed but the service should
be contained In that area.
The county proposes to &C.
quire lines Of the Alexandria and
Virginia companies serving
county customers. leaving oc-
coquan Reservoir to serve the
city Of Alexandria. The county
feels 1t needs the Alexandria and
Virginia customers to get the
public water system on q sound
financial footing.
Mr.. Latham compares the
water supply capabilities Of Oc-
couuail and the Potomac as fol.
lows:
The total drainage area Of
occoquan and Its tributaries Is
546 square miles. At minimum
fiow, it can only serve 5000
people without storage. Ameri-
can Waterworks proposes TO
raise an existing dam some 10
stories for added storage.
Sitting Danger Cited
Raising Of dams or other
devices In the flood plains Of
Occoquan Greek win tend to
become silted. The capacity Of
such storage Is depleted In di-
rect proportion to the sitting
behind the dam. Dredging and
other. methods Of holding the
original capacity behind the dam
are expensive and the consumer
will eventually have to pay the
BILL
The Potomac River and its
tributaries have q drainage area
totaling 1850 square miles and
its minimum flow is sufticient to
serve 2.688.o00 people without
any storage.
This supply is well co-ordi-
mated. ably financed and should
be kept under its present control.
The Corps Of Engineers under
proper directiyes can deliver po-
table water at the cheapest avail
able cost per 1000 gallons. The
Corps Of Engineers method Of
and purifying has great
economic appeal. It does not
use the Potomac River Hood plain
for storage and thus eliminates
the sitting action that would take
place behind any dam across this
stream,
Mr.. Latham recommends that
Falls Church be allowed to serve