LOCAL authorities are seeking safeguards over a three-pronged scheme aimed at preventing underground minewater polluting water supplies and a stretch of heritage coast.

The councils' call follows an announcement by The Coal Authority (CA) revealing its proposals for a short, medium and long-term strategy to tackle the threat of rising water in abandoned workings.

With concern growing among residents in County Durham, The Coal Authority announced its intention to install a temporary treatment plant at Horden to be in operation by the middle of next year.

The plant will remain in operation until a medium-term solution is put in place at Dawdon.

The Coal Authority will also continue to assess alternative pumping sites, treatment areas and methods of mine treatment appropriate to the long-term management of the problem.

In a joint statement, Councillor Bob Pendlebury, Durham County Council's Cabinet member for environment, and Councillor George Patterson, who holds a similar post at Easington District Council, said: "It is vital that a satisfactory solution, in the short, medium and long-term is found for east Durham where there is a threat to drinking water.

"The Coal Authority's strategy seeks to protect drinking water, but their detailed proposals must ensure that the effect on local residents is minimised and the quality of Durham's Heritage Coast is safeguarded.''

It is understood the Horden plant would treat the minewater to prevent any contamination of seawater before discharging the water through a buried pipe to a point below the water mark.

The Coal Authority will be outlining its proposals at a public meeting in Horden on Tuesday.

In the medium-term, it is proposed that minewater from a large area of the east Durham coalfield will be drawn to a plant at Dawdon.

From Dawdon, the minewater would be pumped through to an underground pipe and then on to a treatment facility, which would improve the water quality to a standard required by the Environment Agency.