Wind Power and Drinking Water: VKM Provides Scientific Support for Wind Power Assessments

Clean drinking water is a vital resource, and the establishment of wind plants can pose a risk of contamination. The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) has now prepared a knowledge base for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet).

The report identifies potential sources of contamination and proposes requirements for environmental impact assessments related to wind farms.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority is responsible for drinking water and serves as a consultative body in licensing processes for wind farms. To strengthen its evaluations, it requested VKM to provide a knowledge base that offers a scientific foundation for the requirements applicants must meet in their documentation.

Wind farms can contaminate drinking water during construction, operation, and decommissioning. The risk is greatest during the construction phase, especially if the facility is located near water catchment areas and drinking water sources. The report highlights possible sources of contamination, mitigation measures, and requirements for impact assessments. It covers the entire life cycle of a wind farm and describes potential hazards related to location, soil conditions, infrastructure, use of chemicals, and extreme events.

The report also provides an overview of relevant laws and regulations and the roles of key stakeholders. It emphasizes when and how Norwegian Food Safety Authority should be involved in the planning process. Early notification and involvement of The Norwegian Food Safety Authority are crucial.

The developer must assess the risk of contamination of drinking water and water catchment areas in a verifiable manner. If relevant, they must propose risk-reducing measures so that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority can review the assessment and provide clear input to ensure that drinking water concerns are safeguarded.

The report includes a draft checklist for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and suggests measures to protect water resources by:

• Early dialogue with all involved parties, including the Norwegian Food Safety Authority
• Adequate safety margins for the wind strength turbines must withstand, to reduce the risk of accidents and unwanted incidents, especially considering increasing extreme weather
• Reporting accidents and compiling them in a register accessible to public authorities
• Establishing an accident investigation board for wind farms to investigate causes of accidents and negative events and contribute knowledge for reducing future risks

The work was carried out by VKM’s Panel on Contaminants led by Jan Alexander.

VKM provides independent scientific assessments of issues affecting the environment and food safety. VKM does not give advice or decide how risks should be managed but can assess the consequences of different courses of action. It is therefore up to the commissioning authorities to decide on the risk-reducing measures identified and evaluated by VKM.