Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-28

Further, is it democratic"
to attempt to create q law
when only one person has re-
quested it? I do vote!
Firearms Lover.
Metro Series
The Metro" article No.
vi in The Sunday Star. No
vember 10, is an excellent
summary of the areas pollu-
ton problems.
I agree completely that the
Metropolitan Area must
think big and plan for the
future if we are to solve this
problem satisfactorily. At
the same time, with metro
politan communities bur-
dened financially trying to
maintain even minimum
standards, 1t is difficult to
visualize 30-mile conduitS
plus all sewage efiuent, even
that receiving a high degree
of treatment, being dis
charged below a "damlike
barrier" near the Fourteenth
street bridge. Perhaps, this is
the best answer but it GER
tainly is far in the future if
any part of it is to be fin
anced by the local govern
ments in the Metropolitan
Area.
Fairfax County's mighty
effort to keep ahead of new
urban development with
needed municipal services has
severely strained its financial
resources. Population growth
from $4,000 in 1850 to 200.-
900 in 1857 has required
major expenditures. including
$50 million for schools and
$40 million for sewers. At
present we fear it may not
be possible to provide the
additional sewage treatment
facilities for the exploding
CHA area as quickly as de-
sirable. The unpleasant al
tentative will be to prohibit
additional sewer connections
until facilities can be built.
Fairfax County's sewer
program has successfully
provided trunk sewers. and
disposal facilities giving from
66 per cent to 80 per cent
treatment, for the existing
urban areas. The Metro"
article, apparently citing the
Wolman report. states that
Partially treated sewage
from the Virginia side enters
the river at several points
between Chain Bridge and
Alexandria. The worst is
Fairfax's drainage from Pim-
nit Run near Chain Bridge"
This last sentence is mac
curate. There has been
trouble with Pimmit Run in
the past-before the new
county treatment plant went
into operation. This was
caused by the overlooking
and/or improper operation
of two small private plants
farther up the run. One Of
these plants (Chesterfleld)
now has been taken over by
the county, the lines con-
nected to the new county
trunk and the plant aban-
doned.
The other small plant at
Pimmit Hills has been objec-
tionable to residents when
improper operation of the
aeration process caused Of
fensive odors and foam from
the untreated sewage. Since
this was considered a health
menace to the Pimmit Hills
area the county has pro-
hibited additional connec-
tons to this plant. Both
State Water Control Board
and County Health Depart
ment tests Of the stream,
however, indicate that the
eff1uent produced is salts
factory. The county's new
Pirhmit Run plant is not yet
at its capacity. There may al
ways be some foam from de-
tergents stirred up in Pimmit
Run as the water and treated
effluent splashes over the
rocky creekbed. The only
cure for this appears to be
an outfall to the Potomac
River which can hardly be
justified at this time.
Congratulations on the fine
series of articles which focus
attention on our Metropolitan
problems. In the case for a
clean Potomac" / would say
the will to solve this problem
is present. The financial bur-
den of extensive capital i'm
provements for a burgeoning
population may make it i'm
possible Of accomplishment,
however. unless some new
means OF financing can be
developed.
Anne wilkins,
Member. Fairfax, Va. Board
Of County Supervisors.