A Swedish couple has filed a police report against a logging operation they believe contaminated their drinking water. Örjan Hedin and his wife Inger say their water became undrinkable after nearby forest clearing began in June.
The couple noticed their tap water developed a foul taste and swamp-like odor when machinery started working on the adjacent property. Laboratory tests later confirmed the presence of coliform bacteria in their water supply.
Örjan Hedin stated their water was perfectly safe before the logging activity. He now wants authorities to determine responsibility for the contamination.
"We need to drill for clean water," Hedin said. "Someone should cover these costs. We're retired and living on sickness benefits, so we can't afford this."
The couple's property in Härnösand municipality contains water wells fed by a cold spring on the neighboring forest land. Several easements protect these water sources.
Authorities have taken conflicting positions on the case. The Swedish Forest Agency says it cannot exercise supervision under environmental law after damage occurs to drinking water sources from forestry operations.
Meanwhile, Härnösand's community administration assessed the logging operator bears no responsibility for fixing potential negative impacts on the Hedins' well. Officials suggested the water source might have been substandard even before the logging.
"You feel completely run over by the authorities," Örjan Hedin commented.
As a last resort, the family has filed a police report and contacted an environmental prosecutor. A relative helped initiate the legal action.
The case highlights tensions between property rights and forestry operations in Sweden, where environmental regulations sometimes struggle to address groundwater contamination after it occurs.
Attempts to reach the landowner who conducted the logging have been unsuccessful.