• Why Thorpe Hesley?
  • The shaft at Thorpe Hesley is the only open shaft we have available within the area. Pumping from shafts is the most effective way of extracting the water due to the presence and stability of connections into the wider workings. The site has been previously used as a pumping station which is also an indicator that long term pumping will be achievable. The site is also located in a good location in terms of depth of water to pump and position within the wider coalfield. 
• How significant is the discharge being pumped from the mine shaft?
  • We are going to pump around 50 litres per second from the mineshaft, this equates to a bathtub every 3 seconds. Over a year this would be 630 Olympic sized swimming pools. 
• What will be the impact on traffic within the village?
  • We expect the impact of traffic to be limited as we do not need to bring in a lot of materials. The bulk of the scheme is formed from the earth within the site. At the beginning of the scheme there will be short period where there are more deliveries as we bring in cabins, plant vehicles such as excavators and set up the construction site.
• Will there be any impact on residential buildings?
  • No; the majority of works are well away from residential properties. 
• Why does the water need treating?
  • The water needs treating to prevent this from entering watercourses and aquifers. As well as creating a visible orange plume, if iron enters rivers it can deposit on the bottom of the river or stream and can affect the very small organisms which has an impact on other species.  
• Will be there chemical or further pollutants present?
  • The scheme is designed to operate under normal conditions without the need to use chemical for treatment, this is what we refer to as a passive scheme. The mine water is tested for many chemicals the main constituent that is present and we are removing is iron.
• Will there be any smells and/or noise throughout the process?
  • There is typically very little odour generated in our passive schemes. There can be a mild eggy smell when you are in close proximity to the cascade as the mine water is aerated. This is unlikely to be noticeable outside of the scheme fencing. 
• Will it pose a health risk/danger to the public?
  • The areas of deep water in the lagoons and drying bed are within a securely fenced area that is not open to the public. We aim to allow access around our reed beds, we have similar arrangements at several of our other sites where it is appropriate to do so. 
• Will the MWTS impact on property value within the area?
  • We are not expecting any impact on property value.
• When will we – as a community – see a difference to the environment? What is the overall timescale of the project?
  • Construction works are planned to commence in Autumn 2024. Works on site should be completed by December 2025. This is a preventative scheme, there may not be noticeable environmental improvements but the scheme will prevent any future environmental impacts of historic mining in the area. However, landscaping and habitat creation is an important aspect of the scheme and it may take a year or more to fully bed in