Geological, hydrochemical, regulatory and economic aspects of natural packaged water production: Nordland County, Norway

Nordland County is a region remote from English industrial smokestacks and with an ‘ultra clean Arctic’ image. Studies of acid rain have demon- strated pH values above 5 in precipitation, which is typical for areas with little or no industrial pollution (Figure 13.1). This is in stark contrast to southern Norway, which is affected by airborne pollution from central and western Europe, and northeast Norway, which is exposed to acid rainfall from the nickel smelters on the Kola peninsula. The perceived clean conditions were an important factor when the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU), together with Nordland County Council and six municipalities, initiated a 1-year monitoring programme of seven water sources in Nordland County (Figure 13.2). The main object of this investigation was to find water sources or springs with a water quality suitable for bottling and export. Three of the sources are near-coastal high mountain lakes, remote from human activity; two springs emerge from Quaternary deposits while the remaining two are Palaeozoic limestone karst springs. The fieldwork and water sampling were carried out from November 1992 to February 1994, and included