Evening star., 1955-10-20

'undS to retire the water bonds
,ther than revenues from opera
ion Of the system even II they
ihould be insufficient.
Fairfax County Executive G.
:. Massey presented the super
,isors statement Of the
anticipated bonded debt
sor the next 5 years, and its
alto to anticipated assessments.
II the water bond issue Is iHl-
.luded although It is to be b
issue without tax back
ng-the total county debt win
range from 500. .991 900 next year
10 $50, ,938, 900 ii 1860. This rep
.esents q bonded debt 22.S per
cent Of anticipated assessments
In 1856. and 22.l per cent IN
1850.
Other Comparisons
Excluding the revenue water
bonds. the county debt will
range from $40, ,99I 900 next year
10 $62 .938, 900 In 1860. Excluding
both the sewer and water bonds.
The debt win range from $29.-
B9l, 900 next year to $43.512.O0O
in 1860.
Water bond issue opponents
have charged that sale Of the
water bonds would place the
county's total Indebtedness above
sos million.
Mr.. Massey said his debt
statement took into account the
speed with which all proposed
new bond issues are to be sold,
plus the rate at which outstand.
ing bonds are being retired.
The Fact Finding COMMITTEES
report, however. hits hard at
economic aspects Of the water
plan and urges voters to defer
or reject any action whatever on
the current water bond proposals
until a more clearly defined and
economically sound referendum
can be offered to the residents
Of Fairfax County"
The report charges that pro-
ponents Of the water bond
referendum appear to have
totally ignored the abundant
Occoquan source in their plans"
This. the report states. ''under-
scores not only the wastefui and
uneconornic aspects Of the pro-
posed integrated water system,
but points up to failure Of
county officials to consider the
civil defense protection Fairfax
would fortunately have with
more than the single suggested
water source - the Poto mae
River"
Parallel Arguments
The position taken by the Fact
Finders comedies with that Of
the Alexandria and Virginia Wa
ter Cos. The interlocking com.
panies are the largest private
Of water In the county.
They have campaigned against
the bond issue. declaring that
their reservoir on Occoquan Is
being developed sufficiently to
serve Fairfax County's water
needs.
According to the Fact Finders.
q new pipeline being installed by
Falls Church, plus enlargement
Of the Occoquan reservoir, VIII
enable established water COM
panies within two years "to de-
liver q daily supply of 10 million
gallons for 465,000 potential
users" The county plan an
ticipates only 204, 600 customers
by the year 1000.
The Fact Finders state that the
first stage of construction under
the county plan win cost at least
$23 million land not $l8.6 mil
lion as set forth In the tentative
construction schedule. The diff.
ference is In the amount the
county has set up in the bond
to buy existing private
water companies and the amount
the Fact Finders say it will cost.
The county estimates $4.4 mil
lion and the Fact Finders say the
cost Of acquiring the private
companies will "come nearer 50
Analyzing the first STAGE on
the basis Of their estimate for
acquiring the private companies,
the Fact Finders ask, What
would we have after the first
$23 million is spent? The report
adds:
obviously, since all this new
construction would be made to
connect to the existing system,
we would have little more than
what exists now-except that
most Of the water would come
from the Potomac River, rather
than from Occoquan, through
the proposed new trunk mains
and tanks at Tysons Corner
(Which are part of the county
plan)."
Higher Rates Seen
The Fact Finders declare that
the county would need q gross
revenue during the first 10 years
more than twice as much as the
private water companies are now
and they assume that
the county "will be forced to
raise water service rates sharp
". !"
The county last week issued q
proposed rate schedule that is
higher than current rates Of
most private companies. but
officials declared that
rates probably could be lowered
In the future as the county sys-
tenn gets firmly established.
Other members Of the COM
mittee who signed the report are
Merlin +. Mclaughlin. Martin
T. Webb. Edwin Lynch and