Concrete Bungle

Littlewood on Chapel Road

atest press release from the Delgany Community Council, issued onSaturday, July 22nd 2023…

We have an urgent update. We know that you will agree with us when we say, cement pollution in our streams is completely unacceptable.

Concerned residents have brought it to our attention that the Brown Trouts Steam has been cloudy grey coloured and polluted with silt in recent days all the way from Littlebrook housing estate, Delgany, down through Delgany Woods, Archers Wood, into the Three Trouts Stream, and on downstream to Charlesland and the sea. 

Soil, sand, and wet concrete wash has been reported as washing into the stream in the area of recent water connection works for the Littlebrook estate. This seems to have happened as a result of works being undertaken by a contractor to connect the Littlebrook development to mains sewerage. This type of substance does not just wash its way out of the stream, it does huge environmental damage to the watercourse. 

Upon visible inspection a cement mixer had been found left in the stream for multiple evenings overnight at the conclusion of the workday.

Concerned members of the community (who had approached this issue and had been assured the mixer would not be left in the stream another overnight) found that it was again left overnight in the stream. You would really just have to assume a complete disregard for our watercourses and the rich biodiversity that they support.

With potential heavy rain forecast, these citizens retrieved that same mixer sitting partly in the water, dirty with cement and with a full tank of fuel.

The overnight cement mixer

We owe them our thanks.

The cement mixer was removed from the stream and taken to secure storage, to mitigate the immediate risk to the stream, the environment, domestic pets, and the children of the area. Wicklow Co. Co., EPA, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Irish Water, and Gardaí have all been informed.

Environmental Scientist and Delgany Tidy Towns volunteer, Alex Konieczka, confirmed the threat: “This is shocking. Water that comes into contact with unset concrete or concrete dust quickly increases in alkalinity and can cause significant harm to aquatic life. This negligence can result in elevated pH that can burn and kill fish, insects and plants and can affect not only the stream but groundwater quality.”

Concrete also contains chromium which can cause pollution to both watercourses and groundwater.

On behalf of the community we would like to reiterate the obvious – it is irresponsible and totally unacceptable to dump, pollute or leave any construction machinery or other external items in our local streams. They are our lifelines, not drains or rubbish disposal units for contractors or developers. All steps must be taken to protect the health of our watercourses and habitats for the current and future community.

Please keep an eye out and report any suspected dumping or pollution to Wicklow County Council and to the local Gardaí.