Urgent Water Crisis on Gotland: 'It's Serious Now'

The water supply on Gotland is nearing depletion. A special 'water task force'—comprising the island's largest companies and authorities—has been established to manage the crisis, according to Hela Gotland.

"It's serious now," says County Governor Charlotte Petri Gornitzka in a statement.

In July, water consumption on the island surged, and groundwater levels are alarmingly low, reports Hela Gotland.

On Wednesday, the region and county administration convened an emergency meeting with several of Gotland's major companies and authorities.

Governor: Everyone Must Take Responsibility

After the meeting, it was decided that they will meet every Wednesday to monitor the situation and coordinate efforts.

"It's serious now. Gotland's groundwater situation is challenging, and this is not something we can solve individually. All households, visitors, businesses, associations, and authorities need to take collective responsibility," says Gotland's County Governor Charlotte Petri Gornitzka in a statement.

Possible Water Rationing

Regional Council Chair Meit Fohlin (S) emphasizes the importance of building better preparedness for the future.

"This is probably not the last summer we will have low groundwater levels while facing increased visitor pressure. Clearly, we need to have various solutions in place well ahead of upcoming summers," she tells the newspaper.

She also suggests the possibility of introducing stricter regulations on water usage on the island.

"It's also about how we can start regulating water in different ways when necessary. We have a clear plan, but we need to work a bit faster on the plan we have."