Evening star., 1955-10-26
Local Control Urged
For Fairfax Water
Citizens Divided
On operotiol, BY
Priyute Firms

rlYute Firms
The Fairfax Citizens Conl-
mittee for an integrated Water
system today called for support
OF the proposed $40 million water
bond issue to create q system
that would be under the con.
Rtrol Of the voters OF Fairfax
County
Private water companies;
the committees statement said,
I"are controlled by the state Cor-
poration Commission In Rich.
mond, a group which has shown
itself singularly lnresponsive to
the requirements of the people Of
Fairfax County
A group urging defeat Of the
bond issue when 1t comes before
the voters November 8. the Citi-
Izens Fact-Finding Committee,
also issued q new statement,
Discount Votes Eject
The fact finders said they
favor the principle of an irlte-
grated water system, but added
they do not agree that II the
Ecurrent $50 million proposal is
defeated, that the principle is
defeated.
The county's proposed pro-
gram Is too vague, the fact-
finders contend. They have
questioned estimates in the er-
Igineering report on which the
bond issue is based.
The fact finders are headed
by Carl d. Soresi Of ForestviIle.
Other members Of the group are
Merlin r. Mclaughlin. Martin
lT. Webb. Edwin Lynch and
Richard G. Wynne.
Prefers Local Control
AT the first of six public meet
lings on the water program last
might, James Keith told the
gathering of about rs people at.
Mount Vernon High School, 4
prefer to take my chances on the
elected officials OF Fairfax Coun-
4{ty rather than the people In
Richmond.
Mr.. Keith. q candidate for the
Board of Supervisors. protested
that an the existing private water
companies charge different rates.
but he said people never seem to
lget anywhere when they protest
Ito the state Corporation Conl-
'tmissioil.
Another speaker, Frank Delp.
,Iof Forestviile, called the county
proposal "mathematically I'M
possible. "
County Executive Carlton g.
Massey outlined details of the
water program and said the
county was attempting to plan
Ifor the future by getting public
water system started.
Howard G. Richards, general
manager Of the Alexandria
Water co. and Virginia Water
ECo., insisted that existing firms
Eare capable OF fulfilling the
tcounty's water needs.
Arguments Ineffective
/ Judging by questions from the
Iaudience and the response to,
1.-THE answers. neither Mr.. Massey.
lnor Mr.. Richards woE or lost
Iany supporters at the meeting.
David Schinmel, vice chair-I
imam Of the committee favoring
1.-THE bond issue. said Occoquan
Greek. which supplies Alexandra
land Virginia. had d flow as low
las $4,000 gallons a day.
That's not enough for the
IAnnandale Water Co alone, Mr..
lSchimmel said.
/ Mr.. Richards said a dam to be
built there could store supply
lsufiicient to yield SO million gal-
lions a day.
f)ffieers Listed
Offieers Of the Citizens COM
lmittee for an Integrated Water
system, besides Mr.. Schimmel,
Eare Russell P. Whitener, jr.,
chairman; Mark E. Crown and
james M. Whytock.
/ The committees statement to-
day said that it is by no means
certain that the Occoquar re-
serve can be expanded and 1t
lis certain that future develops
lment of Fairfax and Prince Will
liam Counties in the Occoquan
watershed will make that creek
ian nrlsanitary source of water
1 Mr.. Richards had replied to an
dearlier attack on the adequacy Of
lOccouuar watershed that it is up
Ito the two counties to guard
against pollution,
Another public meeting on the
water program win be held at
I8 o'clock tonight at the Frank
flin-Sherman School in Mclean.