Concerns oily substance could be ‘a serious danger’ to children

RECURRENT issues with what appears to be pollution in the stream that runs through Tymon Park could be “a serious danger”, according to a park user.

While it’s unclear what the substance that permeated the stream over the weekend is, it left white, streaky marks and a film of scum, much to the dismay of park users.

Brian Mac Cormaic from Cairde Pháirc Thigh Motháin – Friends of Tymon Park said there have been intermittent problems with apparent pollution in the stream over the last four years.

Mr Mac Cormaic told The Echo: “It’s sporadic, so it doesn’t happen every week or every month, it might go for a few months, then it’ll suddenly appear again.

“I know the council have done their best to locate where it’s coming from, but everything [in the lower part of the stream] is underground so it’s very difficult to tell where it’s being spilled from.”

There are concerns that the oily substance could have a negative impact on wildlife and park users, according to Mr Mac Cormaic.

“I’m upset about it, because the wildlife could be in danger because we don’t know if this is toxic,” he said.

“But my biggest fear, bigger than what could happen to wildlife, is that the stream runs through the children’s playground and kids are running in and out of it all day long.

“This could be a serious danger. I don’t understand why it hasn’t been dealt with or sorted yet.

“This weekend just gone, it was severe. There was a big white streak of whatever it is, going right across the pond.”

A South Dublin County Council spokesperson told The Echo that misconnection surveys had been carried in an industrial estate near the stream, and that drainage assessments will be carried out.

“South Dublin County Council carried out a misconnection survey of the industrial estate east of Greenhills Road and a portion of Broomhill Road in late 2021 and early 2022 over a four-month period,” stated the spokesperson.

“During that time the council identified five properties with a total of 21 misconnected appliances such as sinks, wash hand basins, dishwashers and toilets.

“All items were repaired and connected properly to the foul sewer in that four-month period and property owners were very cooperative on the matter when the misconnections were brought to their attention.

“This work had a positive impact on water quality in the River Poddle.

“To build on, and further improve water quality in the river, the council intends to carry out similar misconnection survey work in 2023 with a focus on Airton Road and Belgard Retail Park to check for the possibility of any other misconnections.

“It is expected to have this work completed by early September 2023.

“With regard to the recent discharge and discolouration of the river, the council will carry out drainage assessments in the catchment with the aim to identify the source to ensure this does not happen again.”