As part of its work to make a better future for people and the environment in mining areas in Scotland, the Coal Authority is inviting people in Dalkeith to find out more about our project to improve the River South Esk.
We are hosting two community events to provide residents with information and the opportunity to ask questions about the construction of a new mine water treatment scheme in the town.
There will also be a chance to talk with our project team, who will explain more about the scheme to remove metals from the mine water flowing from a historical drainage tunnel, known as Junkies Adit, that is linked to the extensive underground mine workings in the area.
The first event takes place at Dalkeith Library, on Thursday, 5 September, from 2pm to 5pm.
The second is at Dalkeith Thistle Football Club, on Friday, 6 September, from 10am to 12 noon.
Since 2010, mine water from the former Bilston Glen colliery has been discharging through Junkies Adit, turning the water an opaque orange due to high levels of dissolved iron picked up from the mine becoming solid as it mixes with air and settles out of the water.
In recent years this has become more intense, with the pollution not only damaging the aquatic life in the River South Esk but also affecting the river's overall ecology, extending as far as the Firth of Forth estuary at Musselburgh.
The high concentration of iron and other minerals has become a blight on local beauty spots such as Dalkeith Country Park, with visitors and residents noting the river's discoloration and the decline in biodiversity.
The Coal Authority has developed a solution in the form of an innovative active high-density sludge mine water treatment scheme, designed to address the high concentrations of iron and manganese in the mine water, that will be built near Junkies Adit.
The scheme will capture polluted water through a new underground structure, treating it to remove harmful metals, and returning the clean water to the River South Esk.
Over time, the river will naturally recover, restoring the habitat for aquatic life and enhancing the area's natural beauty.
For hundreds of years, Midlothian was a hub of coal mining, with up to 26 collieries and, at its peak in the mid-20th century, employing around 11,000 miners.
One of the most significant sites was Bilston Glen Colliery, which began operation in 1954 and produced more than one million tons of coal annually before closing in 1989.
The closure of these mines led to a significant environmental challenge. The end of coal production also meant that the systems used to pump out water from the mine workings were stopped, causing the water to rise and in turn, accumulate minerals and metals.
This polluted water has since found its way to the surface through on old mine passageway called Old Fordell adit, also known as Junkies Adit, in Dalkeith, causing severe pollution in the River South Esk.
