Council assesses water quality in Griffeen River after death of dog
By Brendan Grehan
SOUTH DUBLIN County Council is testing the water quality in the Griffeen River after the death of a dog.
The issue was raised this week at the Lucan area committee meeting of SDCC after Councillor Liona O’Toole put down a motion calling for SDCC to carry out an examination of the river following a number of complaints about water quality and a recent report that a dog had died after drinking from the river.
The council replied that an upstream assessment of the Griffeen Valley Park was carried out after the death of the dog, but it did not reveal “any unusual activity”.
They said water quality samples were taken and results from the laboratory will be expected by late December.
The council said water quality samples are collected from the River Griffeen at regular frequency from two locations, Amyler Road and Lucan Village, by Water Services staff of South Dublin County Council.
The results show good water quality at Amyler Road sampling point and moderate water quality at Lucan Village for the relevant nutrient parameters of ammonia and phosphorus.
The results are typical for a stream of its size as it flows from upland rural to and through lowland urban areas accumulating nutrients, particularly in the large urban area of Lucan.
The council said they are currently assessing the possibility of using Integrated Constructed Wetland technology to purify water discharging from specific culverts to the river in the area near the dog run.
