Damaged water pipeline to Vestmannaeyjar may need replacement

A new civil protection water pipeline to Vestmannaeyjar may have to be replaced after suffering damage, mbl.is reports. The pipeline, known as NSL-4, is considered a total loss, according to project manager Eyþór Sigurðsson.

A decision has nevertheless been made to complete the laying of the pipeline. Work resumed on Thursday and is expected to finish later on Friday. The pipe will then be brought ashore in Vestmannaeyjar after the final sailing of the ferry Herjólfur.

“The laying has gone well since it resumed yesterday, but we have aimed to ensure that the work has as little impact as possible on the harbour, where there is considerable sailing traffic,” Sigurðsson told mbl.is.

He said he could not provide details about the damage because the investigation was at a highly sensitive stage. However, he confirmed that an unexpected incident had caused the damage, rather than fundamental errors in the design or installation of the pipeline.

Sigurðsson also confirmed that the pipeline had not broken apart, which was why work on laying it had continued.

The damage occurred when about six kilometres remained of the 12.5-kilometre route to Vestmannaeyjar. It is not yet possible to determine whether unforeseeable or uncontrollable environmental conditions contributed to the damage.

“The incident is naturally being examined further, so the only thing assessed at this point was whether it would be wiser to continue or stop the work,” Sigurðsson said. “It was considered the wiser and better option to continue, but there is still no conclusion about what happened before the incident itself.”