Heavy metals and other toxins from the former NATO base in Keflavík are polluting groundwater, to where the Environmental Agency of Iceland has classified the pollution levels in the water as “in danger”.
Vísir reports that pollutants have been steadily leaking from a landfill used by the base since at least 1985.
Ásmundur E. Þorkelsson from the Suðurnes Healthy Supervisory Authority told reporters that people living in the area actually get their drinking water from another source. “All of our [water] samples show that everything is just fine,” he said.
However, Jóhanna Björk Weisshappel of the Environmental Agency of Iceland, does not think everything is fine. The agency has classified pollutant levels in the water in that area as “in danger”.
While cleaning efforts have been underway, Jóhanna says, “We know the chemical state of groundwater in that area is not good enough, and it will continue to be watched.”
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