| OCR Text |
Show ered water quality on the north branch has forced Cumberland to abandon its supply on that stream and develop an alternate supply by damming Evitts Creek. This supply, however, is limited in quan- tity and cannot meet all the industrial demands in addition to municipal requirements. The Savage River Dam will help to improve the quality of these waters in the Cumberland area. Present status of pollution.-There are now 87 sewage treatment plants in the Potomac River Basin serving a population of approximately 1.4 million, which is nearly nine-tenths of the estimated population served by sewers. Thirty-four primary treatment plants serve 69 percent of the popula- tion served by sewers, and 53 secondary treatment plants serve 18 percent. There are 50 municipal sewer systems responsible for 14 percent of the population so served which have no treatment and are, consequently, a source of pollution. Although progress has been made, the fact that only 53 per- cent of the existing treatment facilities are adequate indicates that it has not kept pace with population growth. There are 53 industrial waste treatment facilities in the basin. Approximately half of these are satis- factory and the others need improvement either in design or operation. The State water pollution control agencies esti- mate that 50 new sewage treatment plants are needed to serve a population of approximately 212,000. Thirty new plants are needed to treat industrial wastes. Nineteen municipal treatment plants, serving a population of 1.2 million, need enlargement or extension to meet proper treatment standards. Large quantities of silt and sediment also are washed into the streams of the Potomac Basin from farm lands, quarries, mine culm, and from INDICATED WATER QUALITY Potomac River Basin WATER QUALITY Potable water when chlorinated; suitable for all other uses. Suitable for recreational purposes and fish life; for domestic water supply when fully treated. Suitable for industrial process wa- ter, navigation, etc., for domestic water supply when fully treated. Suitable for navigation, cooling water, etc., not suitable for domes- tic water supply or swimming. All lower grades.' Source: Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin FIGURE 1. 911610-51- 595 |
