Hydro G Final report - Kildare.ie

Hydro-G FINAL REPORT
2.4. Groundwater Quality Monitoring within Intel Ireland Ltd.
Extracts from the groundwater quality monitoring reports for three monitoring boreholes located
within the Intel Ireland site were also provided by Intel Ireland. Two of these wells (MW13 and
MW15, Figure 3) are located approximately 400m west of the Spa Well. Another well MW14 is
located adjacent to the western boundary of the site (~2m from the fence). The results presented in
the report from Intel suggest different water signatures in monitoring boreholes MW13-MW15 and
MW14, the difference being 5-7 times higher chloride levels in MW14 than in MW13 and MW15, and
subsequently higher EC levels. This suggests that MW14 is influenced by water discharging from the
Spa Well. The reports states also that chloride levels increased throughout 2006-2007 monitoring
period.
2.5. Additional Information
During the initial site visit in December 2007, Mr Simon Wallace presented a current understanding
of the flow mechanism, which suggested that water from the Spa Well is directed through an
underground channel to two ponds, which, in the literature (Matthews, 2007), are referred to as
‘filtering ponds’. These ponds are located approximately 50m down gradient from the Spa Well and
their assumed function is to filter water from the Spa Well on its way the Roman Bath, built c. 100m
away from the well in direction of the Rye Water river. However, other information (Ecoserve, 2006)
suggests that these ‘filtering ponds’ are actually cold springs. The suggested layout of the
underground channel from the Spa Well was parallel to the Royal Canal, i.e. north eastern direction
(Figure 4). In addition, a sketch map (drawing) was presented by Mr. Wallace, which showed
presence of a service pipe under the upper part of the site. This pipe runs in north eastern direction
from the car park, towards the ‘filtering ponds’ and, approximately 20-30m down gradient from the
Spa Well, it sharply turn eastwards towards and under the Royal Canal (Figure 5). Hydro-G
contacted Water Services in Kildare County Council to investigate precise location, depth and
circumstances of laying this pipe, but no further information was available on file. The approximate
time of laying the pipe is early 1980s.
Hydro-G initiated also a meeting with Mr. Niall Meagher, who is a retired architect for Kildare County
Council. During that meeting, a drawing from 1981 was presented that included an underground
pipe suggesting a discharge of water from the Spa Well in north western direction and later, after
approximately 30m from the Spa Well, the pipe turning at 90° towards north east (Figure 3).
Further literature review (Minerex, 1983) confirmed that the original outlet from the Spa Well is in
north western direction (Photo 1).
The above information suggests that the original discharge from the Spa Well is in north western
direction, directly towards the Roman Bath. It is likely also that the underground pipe from the Spa
Well was diverted in north eastern direction in 1970’s or early 1980’s.
Project No.: 07_136 -7-
Leixlip Spa