Minewater Treatment - the next priorities

Work has now started to improve the quality of minewater discharges at a number of priority sites, which have been highlighted by the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

The Coal Authority aimed to start at least four minewater treatment schemes before the end of the last financial year.

The latest minewater treatment sites are:

SCOTLAND

A wetland project involving the construction of 10,000m² Of primary and secondary reedbeds - using similar technology to the Authority's flagship scheme at Woolley Colliery - to improve discharges into the River Ore near the former Minto Colliery at Lochgelly in Fife.

Pumping and treatment schemes to prevent a future breakout of contaminated minewater into the River Almond at Polkemmet in West Lothian and the Cairnie Burn at Monktonhall on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

WALES

A small wetland scheme, currently being constructed is designed to significantly improve existing minewater discharges into the river at Nant Gvvynfi near Blaengwynf in South Wales.

ENGLAND

A major treatment scheme, involving the construction of a chemical treatment plant, combined with settlement ponds and a reedbed, to clean minewater discharges into the River Irwell associated with the former Old Meadows Colliery at Bacup in Lancashire.

The Coal Authority is also a partner in a pioneering scheme at Bullhouse to clean up polluted water affecting a six-kilometre stretch of the River Don near Penistone in South Yorkshire

Visits to Bullhouse, and the Authority's successful reedbed scheme at Woolley Colliery, were arranged for delegates attending the recent Environment Agency National Minewaters Conference at Sheffield University. Speakers at the event, which followed on from last year's abandoned minewater conference, included the Authority's Property and Environment Manager, Keith Parker, who talked about the Authority's minewater treatment programme.