The Mining Remediation Authority’s new Dalkeith mine water treatment scheme has reached a significant phase in its development, with excavation works now under way and key construction milestones successfully completed.
Photo:Site overview of Dalkeith mine water treatment scheme in August 2025
Following the site clearance, surveys, ground stabilisation and setup of construction facilities, the project – being built by the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) as part of its work in coalfield areas of Scotland – is moving into its next stage.
The scheme, funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, is being built to clean water coming from the former Bilston Glen colliery, which has been discharging through a historical mine passageway called Old Fordell adit, also known locally as Junkies Adit.
This has been turning stretches of the River South Esk orange, as high levels of dissolved iron, picked up from the extensive network of old mine workings, becomes solid when it mixes with air and settles out of the water.
During periods of heavy rain, the adit can flush up to 300l/s of mine water into the river.
The solution for the mine water discharge at Dalkeith is to construct an active High Density Sludge (HDS) mine water treatment scheme – the MRA’s contractor J.N Bentley are carrying out the work.
The local community is now being invited to preview the final design through an interactive virtual tour and have a say on the landscaping of the finished scheme, as well as find out more about what works are planned later this year.
Josh Turner, of the Mining Remediation Authority’s community response and stakeholder engagement team, said:
We’re really excited to welcome the people of Dalkeith to our drop-in event at the town’s library on Thursday 25 September. It’s a great chance to see how the mine water treatment scheme is progressing, explore the site in 3D, and share your ideas on landscaping and screening.”
Over the next few months:
site levelling will continue after the retaining walls are in place
piling works will be followed by the placing of concrete foundations
construction will start on the walls of the treatment building
“SAS (Surplus Activated Sludge) is a bit weird and 
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