Tap water no longer drinkable in Norwegian village as climate-related thawing releases heavy metals

Key points

• Residents of Longyearbyen, a village in Norway's Svalbard archipelago, have been told not to drink tap water due to heavy metal contamination linked to thawing permafrost.
• The contamination, including manganese, sulphate, and nickel, exceeds safe levels and is caused by the oxidation of pyrite in the bedrock.
• The mayor has commissioned an investigation and is considering expensive solutions like filtration systems or a desalination plant.