Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-31
Fairfax Town Plan
For Water Attacked
Will compIicote
County Problem,
FreehiIl Says
BY MARY LOU WERNER

The $4.5 million water pro-
gram planned by the town Of
Fairfax may complicate Fairfax
County's efforts to solve overall
water problems. Chairman Jo-
Iseph H. Freehill of the Board of
County Supervisors declared last
night.
Mr.. Freehill and Mayor John
Wood of the town were speakers
lat meeting sponsored by the
Southeast Fairfax Citizens As
ISOLATION to acquaint voters with
the water bond issue, to be voted
on in the town April 5.
The town proposes to sell $4.5
million in revenue bonds to build
Ia new reservoir on Goose Greek
lin Loudoun County and pipe
water % miles to the town. Only
town residents can vote in the
referendum.
Mr.. Freehill emphasized that
he did not want to throw sand
on the tracks of progress by the
town." but felt county and town
leaders should try to find a So
luton beneficial to all the
county"
No system tn Offer
He acknowledged that the
county is not in a position at
the present time to offer q
countrywide water program. A
$50 million revenue bond issue
Ito finance an integrated county
water system supplied from the
Potomac River failed last No
vember.
Mr.. Freehill suggested the town
might get water through a tenn
porary connection with the city
of Falls Church. which buys wa
ter from the District. At present
the town of Fairfax water supply
'comes~from wells.
The Goose Creek pipeline
would come through the north
west section of the county. Mr..
Freehill said this would increase
pressure for development OF the
area, and result in demands for
sewer services.
Are we going to wind up with
sewers in one corner OF the
county and water in the other?"
he asked.
Fears Water Rationing
Mayor Wood said the town
could not afford to wait any
longer to increase its source OF
water supply.
I'VE want to establish a new
source before we have to ration
water he declared. Il feel this
will help solve the county's
water problem. With the Goose
Creek reservoir on the north,
the Occoquan Reservoir OF the
Virginia Water Co. on the South
and the Falls Church water sys-
TEN in the east, Fairfax County
won't need to get into the water
business"
Mayor Wood said the town
approached Falls Church as a
possible source. but discarded
TIE idea for two reasons:
!. Falls Church wanted TO
charge the town IS cents per
/ 900 gallons, although it buys
water from the District for only
seven cents per 1000 gallons.
Limit on Supply
. 2. 1t was discovered that the
District did not, have ADEQUATE
filtration capacity to let Falls
Church have the increased
amount of water that the town
of Fairfax wanted.
Frank Waters, president OF
the Fairfax County Federation
of Citizens Associations, said it
appeared, on the basis of present
customers, it would cost the
town so cents per 1000 gallons
to get water from Goose Greek.
"That's higher than Falls
Church wanted" he declared.
More Uses Anticipated
Mayor Wood replied that the
town anticipates additional Gus
toners and added that the bond
contract does not require any
interest payments until 1858 nor
any principal payments until
1862.
According to a pamphlet
passed out at the meeting, the
town hopes the system will be-
come lucrative enough to elimi-
nate all town taxes.
Citizens at the meeting pro-
tested that the public had not
been given enough time to study
the proposal. It first was pub
licizd two weeks ago by The Star.
the day before the court order
was entered setting the referen-
dun date. Mayor Wood said
the project had to be kept secret
while the town optioned land to
be flooded by the Goose Greek
dam.