A Canadian company has all but finalised a deal to export fresh water from Ísafjörður, and the contract could last as long as 25 years.
RÚV reports that the company in question, Amel Group, hopes to export up to 10 million tonnes of water each year from Ísafjörður’s fresh water sources.
Ísafjörður Mayor Gísli Halldór Halldórsson told reporters that it still remains to be determined exactly how much water the company will be allowed to export from the town. Safeguards still need to be put in place to ensure that town reservoirs are not tapped beyond what Ísafjörður needs for daily use and in emergency situations.
Once all the details are ironed out, the contract could be valid for up to 25 years. Regardless, Gísli emphasised that he thinks the future is bright for Ísafjörður, and that they are not hanging all their hopes and dreams on this one deal.
Icelandic water is a hot commodity, even within the country itself. While the need for bottled water in Iceland is disputable (unless you’re going camping or staying somewhere without clean available water, you really do not need to buy bottled water in Iceland; the tap water is just as good), potable drinking water as an export item could be of great benefit to those elsewhere in the world.
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