Mine water plan: Citizens fear for property values ​​in Heil!

Mine water plan: Citizens fear for property values ​​in Heil!

Something is happening in Bergkamen that is stirring the minds of local residents. Ruhrkohle-AG (RAG) announces that it will discharge purified mine water from the former Haus Aden site into the Lippe. A recent citizen information event, attended by around 80 interested citizens, reflected a mixed mood. Some residents expressed interest, while others expressed concerns, particularly about possible contaminants in mine water and the impact on property values. Concerns about the future are great because uncertainties regarding real estate prices are omnipresent.

The planned discharge of the mine water is scheduled for mid-2026 and will be carried out in two phases. Initially, from -600 meters in depth, there will be a gradual increase from 8.5 to 34 m³/min. From around 2032, continuous operation with up to 51 m³/min at a depth of -450 to -400 meters is planned. The aim of the measure is to relieve pressure on the Lippe by causing a controlled rise in mine water. Despite the treatment intended to remove iron and other pollutants such as PCBs, the complete elimination of PCBs currently remains unrealistic. However, RAG assumes that PCB deposits in mining have already been significantly reduced.

Concerns from residents and environmentalists

The critical voices from the population are not the only ones that are making people sit up and take notice. The BUND regional association of North Rhine-Westphalia has also expressed its concerns and criticized RAG's handling of mine water management. The association demands that the approval authority in Arnsberg initiate a legally compliant approval process with a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA). There are great fears that the mine water increase requested by RAG could be approved without an EIA and citizen participation.

“We demand a holistic view of the ecological impacts on the region,” said a BUND spokesman. Environmentalists see enormous pressure, particularly with regard to surface waters, which are endangered by pollutants such as PCBs, chlorides and heavy metals. To counteract this, the BUND requires that all mine water discharges be equipped with an effective treatment level that also eliminates PCBs.

Environmental impact assessment and its importance

The need for an environmental impact assessment is underpinned by the legal framework. According to the specifications, this is necessary if an annual volume of 10 million m³ is exceeded when groundwater is withdrawn or discharged. In the lower weight classes, preliminary tests are required to clarify whether an RRP is actually necessary. The focus is particularly on the potential environmental impacts to ensure that all relevant concerns are taken into account in the decision-making process.

RAG has assured that possible new mining damage due to the increase in mine water is unlikely. If this is nevertheless the case, RAG wants to settle this damage. For residents, however, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop and what specific measures will ultimately be taken.

The discussion about mine water will continue to concern us. The responsibility of both the RAG and the responsible authorities is great. A good hand is required to take citizens' concerns seriously while not losing sight of environmental concerns.

For further information on current developments, please refer to the detailed reports from calf, bund-nrw.de and grubenwasser-steinkohle-nrw.de referred.