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Show and in the vicinity of the Washington metropolitan area. Since its formation the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin has been a strong in- fluence for pollution abatement. Its strength lies in a public relations and publicity program designed to acquaint the people with the problems involved. Through its efforts, industry has been made a part- ner in reclaiming the Potomac Basin and industry's attitude is generally one of cooperation. Practi- cally all the industries within the basin are con- sidering proposals for the reduction of waste dis- charges by the construction of treatment works, process changes in manufacturing, or other methods. Coordination of Federal, State, and local water pollution programs is being effected through the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin. Costs and financing.-It is estimated that 40 to 50 million dollars will be required to construct needed municipal and industrial waste treatment works throughout the basin. More than half of this amount will be required in the Washington metropolitan area, where more than half of the total basin population resides. Financing, thus, is one of the major problems involved in the correction of pollution. These problems are aggravated by the high cost of construction, and the reluctance of officials to levy necessary assessments to defray costs. The possibility of future Federal aid, in the form of loans or grants, has been repeatedly voiced as a deterrent to more rapid progress for the present. Token assistance in the form of planning grants and construction loans authorized in the Water Pollu- tion Control Act of 1948,6 is regarded by many as a deterrent to progress because it gives rise to an im- pression that more liberal provisions may later be forthcoming. In many instances municipal fi- nancing problems are being overcome and do not seem to be insurmountable when needs are properly understood. A grave problem in this regard, how- ever, is Cumberland, Md., where the high unem- ployment creates difficult municipal financial problems. Municipal pollution abatement projects are pres- ently financed by means of general obligation bonds or by revenue bonds for which the revenue is obtained from sewer rentals. All of the States ex- cept Maryland have adequate legislation providing for the formation of sanitary districts and the issuance of general obligation or revenue bonds by the district or by a municipality. 6 Id. From time to time, Maryland by special legis- lation has created sanitary districts and in each case has provided for general obligation and sewer rental service charges to finance the projects. Corporate municipalities in Maryland have the authority to issue both obligation and revenue-producing bonds. In Virginia, a Debt Commission recently was created to aid municipalities in financing projects. The Commission will sell bonds of municipalities and will aid in legal work. It is believed that the Commission may provide a saving of about 25 mil- lion dollars per year to the municipalities in Vir- ginia. Maryland is now considering passage of special legislation which will create a financing and construction agency for water supply and sewerage systems. The intent of both these special agencies is to reduce the cost of financing sanitary projects of all kinds. Reservoir development.-Reservoir develop- ment will generally be beneficial with respect to pollution through clarifying the water by sediment deposition and by the augmentation of low flows. While flood flows in the Washington area are cur- rently advantageous in removing sludge deposits, recreation use dictates a high degree of treatment. In the Luke-Cumberland area, increased mini- mum flows can be used to very great advantage. A pollution situation exists in the South River at Waynesboro which can be corrected by a com- bination of low-flow regulation and sewage and in- dustrial waste treatment. Conclusions (1) Pollution is one of the most important deter- rents to maximum utilization of water resources in the Potomac River Basin. (2) Information concerning most of the princi- pal sources of pollution in the Potomac River Basin is sufficient to determine immediately needed cor- rective measures. All sources of pollution, however, are not known, and analytical data on known sources of pollution are incomplete. More stream water quality data and information on water uses are needed. (3) Sediment resulting from soil erosion is one of the most damaging forms of pollution, affecting many water uses over wide areas. (4) State and local financing of the cost of con- struction and operation of pollution control works, while a major problem, is not insurmountable. Post- ponement of pollution abatement action, predicated on the anticipation of substantial Federal aid, will 597 |