Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1962-08-30
Septic Montgomery

We haven't quite yet figured out whether some new
kind of silly is us or whether we IRE IN the grip
of August euphoria sometimes known as end-of-summer
fatigue myopa but the current nearhysteria over the
Montgomery County septic tank situation almost dees
analysis.
If newspaper readers of the Washington not
convinced by this time that every man. woman and child
with a well in Montgomery County is poor, diseased
thing cinging desperately to life with only few days
remaining before he is called to the great beyond the hor
rible victim of oathesome malady, we'd be amazed
Perhaps few words of would be in order
Residents of the beautiful call upper Montgomery
County, with its gently rolling green farmands are still
healthy breed full of oie de vvre and great vlgor Up
county resdents-the who should be trembling with
fear and pulling up stakes to to healthier cline
are still going about their daily chores unconcerned about
the current hue and cry of the alarmsts.
With the exception of Pooesvile which has had
bad situation for long timeand has been aware OF it
the problem in septic Montgomery, as we VIII PROBABLY De
called from now on this certain OF Potomac are
had for septic tanks because of poor seepage This fact
should have been known by knowledgeable homebuyers
and was known by builders county government leaders,
the health department. and even political candidates.
There are 10000 wells in use in Montgomery County
Three of these are known to be polluted Three others
were found be polluted and have since been corrected
Why the three polluted wells have not been corrected is
now in the courts and jies will resolve that question
Meanwhile newspaper readers may well ponder why pig
ger headline space has been devoted to the three polluted
wells than the situation in Berlin, the tax revision BILL
new safeguards and controls medicinal drugs Billie Sol
Estes DR. Robert A. Soben, telStar the space race anu
whether the world is going to be destroyed by nucear
fisson.
The health department remiss in not notifying
promptly three Potomac hoeowners that their wells were
polluted They may have been remiss in not enforcing the
state law that requires two tests all wells but their
defense that they don't have the to do this IS
understandable All public agencies sometimes fall snort
of rigid enforcement of every regulation in the book Out
of all this will probably new policy of complying
with this relatively requirement but when this is
achieved Montgomery County will even then be among
small minority of Maryland counties to follow the prac
tice.
Another salutary result Of the screaming headlines
will be- we hope greater understanding on the part OF
both government officials and citizens that dependence on
both well and septic tank half-acre lots is generally,
,nreastc It was serious error in sound land when
most of Upper Montgomery County zoned half-acre
several wears ago. Water lines at least desirable for
hafacre lots We might point out here by the way, that
1t was not the health department that rezoned the county
into hafacre lots Yet they bearing the brnt of the
current, wide criticism.
also be addressed to office seekers willing to seize on any
ISSUE however thin in attempt to dscredt their pot-
cal enemies If this is prologue of the Forthcoming CAM
pagn hang on to your seats.
We think the County Council acted with wisdom
Tuesday and reflected credit upon itself by clearing the
health department of any serious wrongdong in the So
called septic tank scandal because the health department
hasn't done anything seriously wrong It's that simple
Meanwhile there undoubtedly is for minor improve
ment in the quantity and quality of health department
inspection services where the septic tank and well
problem has been troublesome and studies on this could
be accelerated But forgive for not pushing the panic
button and urging all Upper Montgomery County residents
to flee before it is to late