Evening star., 1955-03-17
Public Hearing
Set on Fairfax
Water System
Reaction Held Key
To Proceeding With
$50 Million Plan

A public meeting to discuss the
proposed integrated water system
for Fairfax County will be held
by the Board of County Super
visors at 8 pm. March 20 in the !
Fairfax Courthouse.
The supervisors decided yes
terday, after receiving prelimi-
nary plans for the water system,
to hold a meeting to acquaint the
public with details of the pro-
posal and find out how people
feel about it. After that. the
supervisors must decide whether
to proceed with detailed PLAN
ming and prepare for revenue
bond sale to'f1nance it.
The preliminary plans pre-
sented to the supervisors yester-
day by M. H. Klegerman of Alex
ander Potter & Associates, New
York engineering firm. provide
for integration of the existing
scattered water systems in the
county into one county-operated
system, supplied directly from
Dalecarlia Reservoir in the Dis
trict through a new pipeline
across the Potomac River.
About $50 Million
Estimated cost of the inte-
grated system-including acQui-
sition of the existing separate
systems-is $34.5 million or $29.3
million. The higher figure in
cludes acquisition of Falls
Church facilities in the county
and the lower figure excludes
Falls Church.
According to the engineering
report, the county should be able
to finance the entire undertak-
ing with water rates averaging
$50 for typical family consum-
ing 1000 gallons a month. This
is about the average bill of all
the separate water companies
now operating in the county, but
some firms have rates that are
much higher and others charge
much lower rates.
Il know the people in my area
want a public water system
said Mrs. Anne Wilkins, super
visor from Mason district, "but
| $50 a year seems awfully high"
Mr.. Klegerman pointed out
that the $50 figure was based on
maximum possible construction
costs.
Could Cut Rates Later
"We wanted to be on the con/
servative side in deciding the
financial practicability of this
plan" said Mr.. Klegerman. He
added that rates could be re-
duced sharply within few years
after the project gets under way.
probably as low as $33 or $38 a
year for an average customer.
II don't think $50 a year
sounds bad" commented Super
visor Maurice Fox. II spend that
much every year on my pump.
do think we ought to explain
this plan to the public. though,
and see how they feel about it,"
It was on Mr.. FoX's motion
that the public meeting was
scheduled. Mr.. Klegerman agreed
to attend the meeting and OUT
line the proposed water project.
Long Discussed
G. Hubbard Massey, consulting
engineer in Fairfax County, who
assisted Mr.. Klegerman in prep
aration of data for the water
survey, reminded the supervisors
the county had been talking
about a public water system for
longer than 13 years. He pre-
pared plans in 1941 for a county
water system, with storage facil-
tiles at Tyson's Corners, right
where they are proposed in the
new report. But the war inter-
vened and nothing ever was done
about the plans.
You could have built this
water then for half the money"
said Mr.. Massey. You should
go ahead now as rapidly as pos
sible. This report presented to-
day is a milestone in the coun-
tvs history. The county must
have a public water system to
meet the terrific population