23 Nov 2015

Water warning for Cook Islands

11:18 am on 23 November 2015

People in the Cook Islands are being urged to conserve water as the country enters a prolonged dry season caused by El Niño.

Infrastructure Cook Islands water works manager, Wilson Rani, says authorities are already seeing a drop in water levels around Rarotonga, with water intake currently 50 to 20 percent below normal.

Water tanks in Penrhyn, Cook Islands

Water tanks in Penrhyn, Cook Islands Photo: RNZI / Mary Baines

He told the Cook Islands News this has decreased water pressure around the island, with the flow being as little as five litres per second in some areas.

The director of the Cook Islands Meteorological Service, Arona Ngari, says the country is not expected to have any significant rainfall until at least March, which will put extra pressure on water supplies.