Water conservation

All of the Cook Islands relies on rain water for household, business and agricultural water supply. Water is a precious resource and as much as possible needs to be done to conserve water and avoid wastage.

Try out some of these easy water conservation tips:

• Take shorter showers, and turn off the tap while you soap up.
• Don't leave the tap running while brushing your teeth.
• Collect rain and wash water if possible for use in the garden.
• Wash vegetables and fruit in a bowl of water rather than under a running tap.
• Don’t leave taps (faucets) dripping - repair any worn washers.
• Only flush number "2's"
• Only wash full loads in washing machines.
• If you have a dehumidifier or air conditioning unit which collects the water this can be used to water houseplants as can water from defrosting a fridge or freezer. This is distilled water.
• Water remaining after boiling eggs can be cooled and used to water plants as this is high in nutrients as is the dirty water taken from a fish tank.
• Fit a water saving device in your toilet cistern or replace with a modern one as these use less water for each flush.
• If your shower fills a 4 litre bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a water-efficient model

ICI encourages all homeowners to keep up-to-date with the maintenance of their household pipes. Leaking pipes are one of the main causes of loss of water pressure and water wastage.