Council still advises against drinking tap water in Longyearbyen; water supply decision due in December

Longyearbyen lokalstyre (the local council) advises residents not to drink tap water, in a notice that is still on the front page of its website. It has given the advice since September 2025. Its latest update on water quality, of 3 August 2026, says the advice applies especially to people with stomach problems, small children and elderly people.

The notice says sulfate and nickel are above recommended limits. In an update on 26 May, the council said sulfate was close to 1,000 mg/l and nickel had been measured at up to 30 µg/l, against a limit of 20 µg/l in the regulations. It said manganese had fallen to around 200 µg/l, which is above the limit value but not at a level that gives cause for concern regarding health effects.

Free drinking water can be collected in residents' own containers at Svalbardbutikken (the Svalbard Store). The 3 August update says this water is produced by reverse osmosis at the water treatment plant at Svalbard Bryggeri (the Svalbard Brewery). Tap water can still be used for showering, washing and other purposes, the council says.

The local council is due to choose a concept for the town's water supply in December. A preliminary konseptvalgutredning (concept study) recommends upgrading Isdammen as the main water source, so that it can again supply drinking water directly to the pipe network, the council said in a notice published on 21 October and updated on 30 October. The study also recommends a backup plant at Hotellneset that desalinates seawater, and improvements to the pipe network.

The council puts the cost at NOK 498 million to 582 million. Final costs, funding and timing are not settled. The final study has not yet been delivered, and the council's administration has not taken a position on the recommendation.

The news site Arctic Portal reported on 26 October that thawing permafrost releases metals into Isdammen. Researchers from UNIS, SINTEF and the University of Bergen were investigating what controls the water chemistry in the lake, the council said in February.

Correction, 31 October 2026: An earlier version said residents fill containers at the Svalbard Brewery, that manganese was the main concern and that a decision on a new plant was expected in October. The free water is made at the brewery's treatment plant and collected at the Svalbard Store, the council says manganese is no longer a health concern, and the decision on the water supply is due in December.

Coverage: Arctic Portal