The new facility, CONSOL Energy’s 103rd water treatment operation, will treat a maximum flow of 3,500 gallons per minute (gpm) of mine water, according to company officials. Water sources are from the company’s Blacksville No. 2, Loveridge and Robinson Run mining operations.
This is a positive for a number of reasons, said CONSOL President Nicholas J. Deluliis. “It allows our investment in operations and the numerous family-sustaining jobs to support operations in northern West Virginia for the next 20 to 30 years,” he said. “It also supports our transformation into a truly diversified energy company.”
The mine water will be pretreated for metals removal prior to conveyance through 34 miles of pipeline spanning three counties to the new centralized treatment facility, company representatives noted. The new facility’s design features a zero liquid waste-based treatment process, comprised of raw water pretreatment, a reverse osmosis membrane system, and an evaporation and crystallization of reverse osmosis reject and ancillary support systems, according to CONSOL. Treatment residuals, including softening sludge and salts, will be disposed of on-site; consequently, no waste will leave the property.
Completed in Q2 2013, the new facility’s construction began in Q2 2011, generating 400 new construction jobs with 30 full-time permanent jobs for operation and maintenance. CONSOL, in addition, has a 10-year agreement with Veolia Water, a division of Veolia Environment. The facility was constructed in accordance with West Virginia Department of Environmental of Protection standards for chloride content of water discharged to receiving streams.
