A new mine water heating system will supply 750 affordable homes in Seaham Garden Village, County Durham, through a low-carbon district heat network. The system will use water treated at the Dawdon mine water treatment scheme, which is currently used to remove heavy metals and discharge into the sea. The heat from the extracted water will be harnessed and used to warm the homes. The project received £4.3m from the government’s Heat Networks Investment Project. The project is led by Durham County Council and the Mining Remediation Authority, and will include a new energy centre and pipe network. The homes, being built by Karbon Homes, will be some of the first in the country to be connected to a mine water heat system. The project is expected to have a significant environmental impact, reducing carbon emissions and providing a welcome boost to residents looking to get on the housing ladder. The scheme is also seen as a model for other mine water treatment schemes across the UK, with the potential to generate renewable heat and protect water supplies.
Cutting-edge mine water heating system to power 750 homes in a major housing association development
