Greenland holds 10% of the world's freshwater reserves. Each day, huge quantities of clean, fresh meltwater run into the seas around Greenland. This meltwater originated from snow which fell on the ice sheet up to 130,000 years ago. Glacial calving on the ice sheet, and meltwater flowing into the Greenlandic fjords and the Greenland Sea creates a vast potential to collect and exploit the ice and water, which in many locations is in a form clean enough to drink directly from the source. Once fresh water mixes with the salty sea water, desalination becomes expensive.

There is a growing demand for fresh water on the world market, and the use of the vast water potential in Greenland may contribute to meeting this demand. The potential for water is manifold, since clean, fresh water can be used as drinking water and water for food production, for example, but also as bulk water for factories, farms or a contribution to bulk water supply. There are many possibilities. As 200 to 300 billion tons of water melt from the Greenlandic ice sheet every year, there is room for large and small projects.

This permit shall be approved by the Naalakkersuisut. Permits for preliminary studies may be granted for up to three years, and are always granted without exclusive rights. For the period granted, the licensee is allowed to conduct field studies in the area covered by the license. The period may also be used to find business partners and develop the company's business model. Ice and water may be exported out of Greenland, but neither ice nor water may be commercially exploited at this stage.

• The holder of a permit for a preliminary study may apply for an exploitation permit at any time after the permit has been granted.
• The granting of a permit for a preliminary study does not automatically entitle the holder to be granted an exploitation permit at a later date.

This permit shall be approved by the Naalakkersuisut. Exploitation permits may be granted for up to 20 years, with the option of an extension to a total of 30 years. Exploitation permits may be granted with or without exclusive rights.

Exploitation permits are granted for the purpose of commercially exploiting Greenlandic ice and water. The permit includes an export permit.

Since 2018, holders of exploitation permits have been able to purchase surplus water from Greenlandic energy companies, such as Nukissiorfiit.