A number of conservation measures are being implemented in the Cook Islands in an effort to avert a potential water crisis.
A lack of rain this dry season resulted in monitor intakes on Rarotonga dropping to critical levels last week, prompting a meeting of stakeholder groups this week.
The secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning, Donye Numa, says rain in the past few days has provided some relief but the long-term forecast is for more dry periods.
"For the moment we are managing, but we have implemented a number of water conservation practices, from the agriculture sector to our tourism industry. Farmers have been really great with their crops and probably a long term solution would be around crops that are more drought resistant."
Donye Numa says individually people are making efforts to conserve water and says a government initiative to have every home in Rarotonga fitted with a water tank has just commenced.
