The Coal Authority has awarded multi-million pound contracts to protect the nation’s environment from polluted water from disused coal and metal mines.

Water firm Severn Trent has won a 10-year contract – worth up to £50 million – to operate and maintain the Authority’s 82 mine water treatment schemes, pumping stations and mine gas facilities in the UK.

Civil engineering firm JN Bentley has also signed a four-year agreement, with a value of between £2.5 million and £4 million a year, to design and build new mine water treatment schemes.

Simon Reed, Chief Operating Officer, Coal Authority said: “Our programmes for addressing water pollution from both coal and metal mines will be enhanced as we work together to deliver innovation and schemes with strong economic and environmental benefits.”

The Authority claims its existing schemes prevent more than 4,000 tonnes of iron solids from entering Britain’s watercourses every year.