The water situation: Status, research, and the way forward
Longyearbyen is facing major and necessary measures to ensure a stable and safe drinking water supply.
At the public meeting on January 21, the local government, the County Governor, UNIS, and academic circles delivered a unified message: The challenges are considerable, but work is in full swing – from emergency measures to long-term investments and new research on water quality in Isdammen.
On stage were local council leader Terje Aunevik, Governor Lars Fause, researcher Gijs Breedveld from UNIS, and administrative director Åsmund Sandvik – all with the same message: The work to ensure a safe water supply is extensive, complex, and at the top of the priority list.
The presentations from the meeting can be found at the bottom of the page.
You can watch a recording of the meeting here External link.
A changing water source
Local council chair Terje Aunevik welcomed everyone and gave a historical overview of the water supply in Longyearbyen. The town depends on water from Steintippdalen and Isdammen – sources that are not classic mountain lakes and are now showing clear changes in water quality.
"We have gone from one planned purchase to four comprehensive projects," explained Aunevik. These include securing Isdammen, establishing reserve water, strengthening firefighting water capacity, and replacing an aging distribution network.
In addition, a demanding temporary situation is being handled – with water production at Svalbard Bryggeri, cooperation with Coop, extra sampling, and measures in schools and kindergartens. The operation of today's facilities is described as continuous "firefighting," and the local government must increase its staff to follow up.
"We know where we live," says the governor
Governor Lars Fause reminded us that Longyearbyen is a community with unique risk conditions – both in terms of nature and infrastructure. He provided information about personal preparedness, new advice for the business community, and the national Total Preparedness Year 2026.
Where does our water come from – and what is happening in Isdammen?
Researcher Gijs Breedveld (UNIS) presented the ongoing research collaboration between UNIS, the Longyearbyen local government, SINTEF, and the University of Bergen.
Although water in the area has been researched for decades, it is only now that the drinking water source is being specifically investigated. Much of the attention is focused on manganese, a natural element that becomes water-soluble in oxygen-deficient conditions.
Breedveld emphasized that manganese is not a toxin, but an essential nutrient that the body needs in small amounts—and which is found in many multivitamins. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand:
- What is the source of the water in Isdammen?
- What natural processes control the water chemistry
- How water quality can be improved
The research group is now working to map both inflow, ground conditions, and chemical processes in order to provide recommendations that work both in the current situation and in a future climate.
Future measures: "This is our most important task."
Administrative Manager Åsmund Sandvik pointed out the extensive efforts being made by the local government. Since the manganese incident in September, around 150 m³ of drinking water has been supplied from Svalbard Brewery, while Isdammen has produced around 141,720 m³ of water for consumption during the same period. Drinking water thus accounts for only one percent of total production – but is nevertheless crucial for safety and health.
The most important measures now are:
- Establish a reverse osmosis plant at the brewery for safe drinking water production.
- Continue full-scale trials to remove manganese from the water from Isdammen.
- Strengthen technical operations with more personnel to handle both current challenges and upcoming projects.
- Needs assessment and preliminary project to secure the main water source, reserve water, and firefighting water.
Sandvik was clear that the local council will not declare the water safe until the levels are stable below the Norwegian Institute of Public Health's recommendations over time.
"Thoroughness takes time. We have to look at everything in context in order to make good decisions," he said.
A long-term effort – but with clear goals
The public meeting showed that the water issue in Longyearbyen is far more comprehensive than the acute manganese incident. It is about climate change, geology, technical infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and resource use. It is also about the Longyearbyen local government having to deal with both immediate and long-term needs in parallel.
At the same time, the message from all parties was reassuring: the situation is under control, the knowledge base is growing with each passing week, and the work is being given the highest priority – politically, administratively, and professionally.
You can download the presentations here:
Presentation by Terje Aunevik pdf, 1 MB.
Presentation by Lars Fause pdf, 3 MB.
Presentation by Gijs Breedveld pdf, 4 MB.
Presentation by Åsmund Sandvik pdf, 535 kB.
English (By Copilot):
Water Situation: Status, Research and the Road Ahead
Longyearbyen is facing major and necessary steps to secure a stable and safe drinking water supply.
At the public meeting on January 21, the local council, the governor, UNIS, and scientific experts delivered a unified message: The challenges are significant, but the work is well underway — from immediate measures to long-term investments and new research on water quality in Isdammen.
On stage were local council Leader Terje Aunevik, governor Lars Fause, researcher Gijs Breedveld from UNIS and chief Administrative officer Åsmund Sandvik — all emphasizing the same point: Ensuring safe drinking water is extensive, complex, and the highest priority.
Presentations from the meeting can be found at the bottom of the page.
Here you can watch a recording of the meeting External link.
A changing water source
Local council leader Terje Aunevik opened the meeting with a historical overview of Longyearbyen's water supply. The town relies on water from Steintippdalen and Isdammen — sources that are not classic mountain reservoirs and that now show clear signs of changing water quality.
“We have gone from one planned purchase to four extensive projects,” Aunevik explained. These include securing Isdammen, establishing a reserve water supply, strengthening firefighting water capacity, and replacing an aging distribution network.
In addition, a demanding interim situation must be managed — with water production at Svalbard Bryggeri, cooperation with Coop, increased sampling, and measures in schools and kindergartens. The operation of the current plant is described as continuous crisis management, and the Local Council must increase staffing to keep up.
“We know where we live,” says the governor
Governor Lars Fause reminded the audience that Longyearbyen is a community with unique risk conditions — both natural and infrastructural. He spoke about personal preparedness, new guidance for businesses, and the national “Total Preparedness Year 2026”.
Where does our water come from — and what’s happening in Isdammen?
Researcher Gijs Breedveld (UNIS) presented the ongoing research collaboration between UNIS, Longyearbyen Local Council, SINTEF, and the University of Bergen.
Although water in the area has been studied for decades, this is the first time the actual drinking water source is being examined specifically. Much of the attention focuses on manganese, a natural element that becomes water-soluble under oxygen-poor conditions.
Breedveld emphasized that manganese is not a toxin, but an essential nutrient that the body needs in small amounts — and which is found in many multivitamins. Still, it is important to understand:
- The source of the water in Isdammen
- The natural processes influencing today's water chemistry
- How water quality can be improved
The research team is now mapping runoff, geological conditions, and chemical processes to provide recommendations that will work both today and under future climate conditions.
Measures going forward: “This is our most important task”
Chief administrative officer Åsmund Sandvik highlighted the extensive effort currently underway. Since the manganese incident in September, around 150 m³ of drinking water has been distributed from Svalbard Bryggeri, while Isdammen has produced around 141,720 m³ of utility water in the same period. Drinking water therefore represents only one percent of total production — yet it is crucial for public health and safety.
Key measures now include:
Establishing a reverse osmosis facility at the brewery for secure drinking water production
Continuing full-scale manganese removal trials at Isdammen
Strengthening technical operations with more personnel to manage both current challenges and future projects
Needs assessment and preliminary planning for securing the main water source, reserve water and firefighting capacity
Sandvik made it clear that the Local Council will not declare the water “safe” until levels remain consistently below the Norwegian Public Health Institute’s recommendations over time.
“Thoroughness takes time. We must look at everything in context to make good decisions,” he said.
Long‑term work — but with clear goals
The public meeting highlighted that Longyearbyen’s water challenges extend far beyond the acute manganese event. This work involves climate change, geology, technical infrastructure, preparedness, and resource management. It also requires the Local Council to manage immediate and long-term needs simultaneously.
At the same time, the message from all parties was reassuring: the situation is under control, the knowledge base grows every week, and the work has the highest priority — politically, administratively, and professionally.
Download presentations here:
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