Súðavík’s Mayor Questions Legitimacy of Water Rights Agreement

Súðavík’s Mayor Questions Legitimacy of Water Rights Agreement

The municipality of Súðavík is currently involved in legal proceedings aimed at protecting its water rights in the Westfjords. These rights were originally established when the municipal utility, Orkubú Vestfjarða, was formed, but the validity of the agreements has come under scrutiny.

The Mayor of Súðavíkurhreppur, Bragi Thor Thoroddsen, contends that the agreement made with Orkubú Vestfjarða does not hold up to today’s legal standards. Last autumn, a committee ruled that three natural areas in Súðavíkurhreppur—Hestfjörður, Skötufjörður, and Ísafjörður—are considered public lands. Following this, the municipality initiated legal action against the state to affirm its direct ownership rights.

The disputed agreement dates back nearly fifty years to when three municipalities merged, creating Súðavíkurhreppur. The contract was aimed at consolidating water and geothermal rights when the local power utility was integrated into Orkubú Vestfjarða.

Bragi argues that the open-ended nature of the agreement effectively relinquished all water rights and a vast array of permissions for energy production both known and unknown. He believes a new agreement is necessary and that the current one would hinder any new energy initiatives in the region. There has been interest from locals in establishing small-scale energy projects, but existing rights held by Orkubú Vestfjarða presently obstruct such developments.

This is not the first instance of Orkubú Vestfjarða engaging in legal battles to safeguard its water rights. Previous lawsuits have included conflicts over geothermal resource rights and regulatory agreements involving other municipalities.