Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-06
F airfax to Test Right
ToTakeRiver Water
County to Ask
Maryland
For Permit

Fairfax County has joined the
ranks Of Metropolitan Area COM
munities and agencies who are
looking with mounting interest
at the Potomac River as a source
of future water supply.
On a motion by County Super
visor William H. Moss, the seven
man Fairfax supervisory board
unanimously voted yesterday to
test the county's assumed but
|unconfirmed right to tap the
river. The supervisors instructed
County Executive Carlton C.
Massey to ask Maryland au--
thoritieS for a permit to use the
Potomac source.
In spite of the defeat last fall
Of $50 million water bond issue
to establish a county water syS-
tenn, county heads still foresee q
time when Fairfax will have to
bring a water service to inade-
quately supplied residents, Mr..
Moss said.
He added that a county water
system would also place the
county in a position to curtaiI
future annexation moves by
neighboring jurisdictions"
Act as Control Valve"
4
And the county system, the
supervisor stated, would act as a
control valve" to keep water
rates imposed by private COM
panies at reasonable level.
Nearby Maryland'S Washing
ton Suburban Sanitary Commis-
lsion Tuesday revealed it hopes
Ito draw water from the Potomac.
1.-The city Of Rockville in Mont
Igomery County has announced
lplanS to establish a city water
system using the river source.
Mr.. Moss said that, in view Of
these plans, ut would be regret
liable to miss our chance" to ac-
quire a share in the Largest
water course in the Washington
Metropolitan Area"
l Still with an eye on the river.
the supervisors yesterday also
lagreed, with some grumbling, to
!. double the county's contribution
!. to the cost of right-of-way &C
! QUESTION for the extension Of
, George Washington Memorial
parkway along the Potomac's
Virginia shore into Fairfax
, County.
i Under pact settled years ago,
the county agreed with the Ma
ltional Capital Planning Commits
! sion to pay, on a matching fund
! basis. one-fourth of the price
of land acquisition in the path
OF the parkway in Fairfax Coun-
4Ity. The county share was fixed
at $125.000. an amount made
, available in separate appropria-
lions, the most recent Of which
, was $4,000 grant in the last
county budget.
Soaring Land Values
/. A recent reappraisal of soaring
, land values for the parkway
/, right-cf-way resulted in the re-
quest by the national commits
sion for an additional SIPS, 900
! from Fairfax. The State Of Vir-
! ginia has agreed, Fairfax officials
! said. to put up a like amount and
!. the Federal Government will
!, provide funds for the remaining
so per cent Of the cost Of right
of-way acquisition.
. The parkway land involved will
/ extend the four-Iane thorough
! fare from the Arlington-F Fairfax
line less than two miles to the
site Of the Central Intelligence
Agency headquarters at Langley.
- Delay in construction of the
parkway extension, the county
heads commented. was respon-
Isible for the rising cost. Never
: theless. Joseph c. Freehill, chair
imam Of the supervisors, declared
future generations in the coun-
Ity will gain many fold from the
:. outlay Of costs here"