Hot
Geothermal water warms underground, brewing in the bedrock
and dissolving a variety of water soluble minerals as its
temperature rises. As water warms its energy content increases
and pressure builds. When its pressure can no longer be
contained, the water shoots in spray or steam from the earth's
arteries.
Amazingly however, this form of energy can be harnessed
and is done so very effectively in Iceland. The natives
are blessed with plentiful supplies of hot water which they
use for bathing and to warm their homes. Geothermal power
is also channelled to create electricity, and the people
of Reykjavík have benefited from harnessed geothermal
energy for 70 years. When traveling through Iceland, some
areas will be very geothermal, but it is not always easy
to detect these areas on sight. In some places water is
percolating up through cracks and faults in the ground,
but in other places there will be no surface manifestations
of the geothermal activity below.
In Reykjavík the hot water comes out of the taps
at between 140°F and 175°F. That's probably hotter
than overseas visitors are accustomed to, so it's important
that when turning on the shower, the desired temperature
be reached before one hops in. As soon as turning on a hot
tap one will be greeted by an unfamiliar smell - the distinctive
scent of dissolved hydrogen sulphide. There is no need to
be wary of the water though - it's clean and safe to use,
even though its scent is unfamiliar.
Mineral-rich
as hot geothermal water is, a bar of soap suds up well.
It is a good idea to fill the bath and let the troubles
wash away with the bathwater. Lying in warm water is one
of the best ways to be soothed. The internal organs are
freed from the force of gravity and the water's warmth seems
to penetrate deep into one's bones.
Just to get a sense of how important a role this water plays
in everyday life, when the weather is fair the average person
in Reykjavík uses 290 gallons of water a day. The
majority of that amount is used for space heating, particularly
in the winter months, but around 15 per cent is used for
washing and bathing.
When it's really chilly, however, one individual is accountable
for drawing more than three times that amount a day - just
to keep their homes cosy. But the wells in Reykjavík
and nearby Mosfellsbær alone produce around 610 gallons
of geothermal water every second. That's two thirds of the
distribution output and plenty to keep the city grids and
taps flowing. The other third comes from a plant in Nesjavellir
at the lake Þingvallavatn in southwest Iceland, where
fresh water is heated by geothermal water and steam. The
two water sources never mix, however, ensuring the purest
cold water supply to Reykjavík and nearby communities
Nesjavellir is open to visitors, and the surrounding area
is a good place to witness intense geothermal activity.
Cold
Seas and oceans account for 96.5 per cent of the water on
earth and only 2.5 per cent of this planet H2O is fresh
water. Of that small amount, more than two-thirds is frozen
at the earth's polar regions. Scarce though it is, we need
fresh water since H2O makes up 70 percent of the human body.
So one should bear in mind when turning the tap that this
simple substance priceless and life-sustaining.
In Iceland you have access to the world's most precious
resource in its purest form - water. Of all the taps across
the globe, none will deliver a similar quality of H20. It
has a perfect and low mineral balance
and is sodium-free.
Lifestyle magazines are constantly reminding people to drink
between five and eight glasses of water day - like a self-imposed
form of medication. Any traveler in Iceland should remember
to feel free and turn on the tap whenever feeling like it
and just drink.
The H2O pipeline from the wells at Gvendarbrunnar in Heiðmörk
(east of Reykjavík). Gvendarbrunnur was named after
bishop Gudmundur Arason, who died in 1273. Folklore tell
that the bishop blessed the spring water in this area, and
as a result it bestowed good health upon those who drank
it. Folk tales claim that this water was even wetter the
most, and it was said at the time that this spring water
could put out fires more quickly. Today there are 20 wells
in the Heiðmörk region, each with a capacity of
370 gallon per second.
