The Nation's River: A report on the Potomac: From the U.S. Department of the InteriorUnited States. Department of the Interior
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The Nation's River: A report on the Potomac: From the U.S. Department of the Interior
United States. Department of the Interior
Potomac River
A. An effective water pollution control program is the key to the
public's use and enjoyment of the Basin's rivers and streams. Programs
are currently under way which will result in continued progress toward
enhancing the quality of these waters. The Secretary of the Interior has
approved water quality standards for the interstate waters of the
Potomac Basin submitted by the States of Maryland, Pennsylvania, West
Virginia, and the District of Columbia which call for accelerated
remedial programs. Standards submitted by Virginia are currently under
review to assure that they will contain comparable requirements.
Achievement of the goals established by these standards will require
expanded support in the form of legislation, funding, technology, and
public awareness to insure their effective implementation.
1. To control organic, chemical, and bacterial pollution of the
Potomac River system and achieve compliance with the water quality
standards, a program of both immediate and long-run action will be
essential:
a. During the next five years a series of actions must be taken to
control the Basin's most immediate pollution problems:
(1) Coordination of Federal, State and local powers, in cooperation
with any Basin compact commission or other agency that may be
established, to achieve waste treatment measures as required in
appropriate standards and comparable levels for intrastate waters.
This will call for removal of at least 85 percent of the organic
load, or its equivalent, from all municipal and industrial wastes
throughout the Basin, besides adequate chlorination of all treated
wastes, except that in the Washington metropolitan area at least 90
percent removal will be required because of the volume of wastes
involved and their effects upon the estuary. The means toward these
goals will consist of new plant construction, additions to
existing plants, and control of combined sewer overflows. Regional
or watershed approaches to the extension or improvement of these
systems should be encouraged. Improved collection systems and
treatment facilities also must be supported by effective training,
certification and supervision of operators of the sewerage systems
of all jurisdictions.
(2) Stimulation of effective action toward meeting similar
requirements in handling wastes at all Federal establishments in
the Basin, consistent with the nationwide program called for by the
Water Pollution Control Executive Order. Where possible, wastes
from Federal establishments should be channeled into municipal
sewer systems. Adequate budgets for waste disposal at such
establishments are a prime necessity, so that Federal agencies will
be the pace setters that they must be.
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