Evening star., 1955-09-04

proposal to let a private de-
veloper dump more sewage into
the Potomac River-not far
above the Districts future water
supply intake-the calmest ap-
pear to be those who will make
the next move.
They are the members of the
Virginia State Water Control
Board.
The boards next meeting will
be in Richmond September 1880.
1t is expected then to study its
May approval of the developers
sewage plan. District and Ar
lington water officials hope the
ruling will be reversed.
The Virginia board is an anti
pollution agency. Agencies here
abouts say its May ruling sets a
dangerous precedent. But a
spokesman for the board said
last night it is determined to
keep control of the situation and
clamp down before additional
dangerous pollution is created.
The fight started last March.
John Bobby, Arlington builder.
asked the water board to let him
build a private sewage treatment
plant for a subdivision he
planned in northern Fairfax
County.
Would Use ScOtt'S Run
He called his development
Mclean Heights" He has since
learned a subdivision by that
name already exists, so now his
subdivision is nameleSs.
Mr.. Bobby's plant would feed
treated sewage into Scott's Run.
The run would discharge the
effluent into the Potomac above
Little Falls. That is where the
District is building an intake to
supply Dalecarlia. His plans spe-
Gifted the sewage would be 95
per cent clean when it left his
plant-a higher percentage Of
cleanliness than any other area
plant.
In May the water board ap-
proved his application. after lin
iting the Subdivisions popula-
tion to 1870 persons.
Meanwhile, District water Of
ficials had warned of thedanger-
Gus precedent approval could
mean. The Virginia board en-
phaSized it recognized the peril
possible in a simple approval.
But the water agency also
stressed it was keeping an eye
on it.
4 More Proposals Feared
The danger would be that it.
would open the gate to other
developers seeking approval of
private sewage plants like Mr..
Bobby's.
The Virginia board said If
that happened. it would be in
aposition a to decide ON the appli-
cations. And If it determined
that additional plants would i'm
peril the Districts water supply,
then it would veto the develop
ments. J
An official of the water board
told The Star that if developers
found themselves stymied be-
cause Of the Bobby plant, they
could file civil suits against him
to force him to alter his disposal
system.
Meanwhile, the possibility has
arisen that Mr.. Bobby's name
less development may not even
develop. It's population already
has been restricted. And the
Fairfax County Board of Super
visors has turned down his appli-
cation for rezoning to permit
houses on quarter-acre lots,
rather than half acres.
Development Uncertain
MIR. Bobby said last night he
could not say whether the re-
z0fling decision kills his develop
nient plans. He said he was
waiting to discuss it with his
lawyer. who is vacationing.
The builder said his proposed
plant is superior to other area
sewage treatment facilities. He
added that even his opponents
admit that effluent 95 per cent
clean would not endanger Wash
ington's and Arlington's water,
What they fear is that soaring
population will lessen that per-
centage and that once his plant
is finally approved. other build
ers will copy it. Opponents fore
see pollution increasing, and
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