Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-07
Bourd to Meet
Present. SuppIiers
On Extensions
BY MARY LOU WERNER

BY MARY LOU WERNER
Plans for an integrated public
water system in Fairfax County
were disappearing down the
drain today as the Board Of
County Supervisors prepared to
confer with independent sup
pliers about possible service ex-
tensions.
Advised that expanded facil-
tiles of the private Alexandria
and Virginia Water companies
and the Falls Church municipal
system probably can fill the
county'S needs, the supervisors
yesterday voted to invite rep
resentatives of the systems to
"a conference.
The invitation was extended
on motion of Brig. Gen. Richard
P. Ovenshine, who had supported
IA proposed $50 million bond is
sue to buy existing private COM
panies and establish county
system supplied from the Po-
tomac River.
Bond Issue Beaten
The bond issue was defeated
in a referendum last November.
Since then, Alexandria Virginia
has gone ahead with CONSTRUCT
ltion of a huge reservoir on Oc-
coquan Creek. Falls Church has
proceeded with installations of
Ia pipeline from the District wa
ter system.
Gen. Ovenshine and County
Executive c. C, Massey reported
they had conferred with Army
Engineers in charge of the Dis
trict'S water system. They said
the engineers gave them the i'm
preston that the expanded Falls
Church and Alexandria Virginia
sources of supply would be ade-
Iquate to serve the same general
areas they do now, with some
extensions.
Mr.. Massey added that while
the engineers saw no supply
problem in the Alexandria-Vir
|ginia and Falls Church systems,
they were mot so optimistic"
about Goose Creek. where the
town of Fairfax plans to develop
a reservoir.
Wants Merger Talks
Gen. Ovenshine said he was
particularly interested in talking
with representatives of the Alex
Iandria- Virginia water companies
about the possibility of absorb
ing some small private firms.
Alexandria and Virginia are in
terlocking firms owned by the
American Water Works.
Supervisor Anne wilkins said
she had felt all along the ref
erendum last November was the
last opportunity the county
would have to go into the water
business. Once Alexandria-Vir-
ginia went ahead with the Oc-
Icoquan dam. she said, it was too
late.
Chairman Joseph H. Freehill
said he feared the county would
find that private companies, and
possibility the city of Falls
Church. would only want to
cream Off lucrative rate pro-
ducing areas. and let someone
else worry about getting water
to other sections.
The supervisors frightened up
on control of street construction
in new subdivisions. 1t was voted
not to accept any more written
contracts from developers agree
ing to build streets according to
the specifications.
Will Require Bond
Instead, developers will be re-
quired to post bond for fulfill
ment of proposed street con-
struction in new subdivisions or
put in all such Improvements
before getting approval of their
plans.
Final approval was given a list
of written specifications to gov
ern sewer installations. Samuel
Wolf. consulting engineer for the
town of Vienna, told the super
visors that specifications are too
rigid for sewers that will connect
to the Vienna system. The
supervisors decided, however, to
make the specifications apply to
all sewers even though they are
connected to a town system.
Harry Hale. county sanitary en-
gineer, said the towns Of Fairfax
and Herndon we're agreeable to
lIlS ilSW SpSClllCdJlOllo.
To Study Annexation
Mr.. Massey was instructed to
appoint counsel to study the
pending Vienna annexation case
and an anticipated Falls Church
annexation case. The board has
not decided whether to oppose
the suits.
A new sanitation ordinance
was adopted. 1t restricts use OF
pit privies to 3-acre lots inside
subdivisions. For property not
within subdivisions, privies will
be permitted on 1-acre lots. In
the past. privies have been all
lowed on half-acre lots anywhere.
AL