Home > Programmes > International Waters Project

Mama Terii Simpson

Championing Access to Safe Water for all Cook Islanders

IWP Cooks Champion, Mama Terii Simpson

The Cook Islands International Waters Project (IWP) is trying to

find practical ways to make sure that fresh water resources are kept safe and clean for everyone in Rarotonga.

Mama Terii Simpson is a member of the Cook Islands IWP Local Project Committee (LPC) and a project “champion” who is interested in helping to improve access to safe drinking water for all Cook Islanders.

In many areas in Rarotonga water is collected in a water catchment in the hills before it is filtered through gravel, fed to a holding tank, and distributed to consumers. There is currently no chemical water treatment and activities within the sensitive water catchment areas are contributing to unacceptable levels of contamination of the water supply. Water tests are now consistently returning positive for faecal coliform from the faeces of warm-blooded animals. This is a threat to public health and locals and tourists alike are now advised to boil their drinking water.

The IWP is managed by the Cook Islands National Environment Service (CINES) and the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). The project has been working closely with the Takuvaine Community to try and understand the underlying root causes of the problem and to identify the most appropriate, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions for Rarotonga.

After many meetings and community consultations it appeared that the unrestricted access of both humans and their animals into the water catchment area was contributing to the high levels of faecal coliform which is contaminating the town’s water supply. These initial community meetings also made it clear that many people were simply unaware of the fragility of their water catchment areas.

Mama Terii says the community has discussed a range of management options including the possibility of introducing a modern water treatment system.

“Everyone wants a treatment system but this will cost millions to purchase and install and maintain. Even if we did have treatment system people would simply keep avoiding the need to address the root causes of pollution that are contaminating our wider environment such as the lagoon,” she says.

The IWP Local Project Committee identified that a Water Catchment Management Plan might be the cost-effective and sustainable solution. This management plan is now being put together by a local consultant incorporating ideas from the community, landowners, and other interested stakeholders.

Because the plan will be implemented and enforced by the community Mama Terii says greater cooperation and commitment will needed for the management plan to be successful.

“The management plan is good because it’s something that everyone can appreciate and follow, like our traditional Raui. The land is owned by several landowners so you can’t ban them from their own land!”

“If the IWP is about changing attitudes and finding “low-cost no-cost” solutions then the management plan is the way to go. Purchasing water filters, treatment systems, all cost money!” she says.

Mama Terii says that trying to change people’s attitude and behaviour is difficult because people have been carrying out the same activities for years.

“It is like building a house. We need to plan carefully and collect the materials and have a proper foundation before we build a house that will be strong and sustainable. We need to have meetings and get everyone’s input and cooperation otherwise we will only build a house that won’t last,” she says.

”We need to spread the message that protecting our water is everybody’s responsibility – in the church, in the plantation, in the community! We need to keep raising awareness about our fragile water catchment to our neighbours outside the community and to our friends who visit our islands,” she says.

“We have to start doing our part first then government will do their part!” she says.

Mama Terii says the community has already agreed on the construction of a single public toilet above the intake as one immediate solution.

“If peoples’ ‘business’ is contributing to the problem then we simply need to provide people with a toilet below the water intake. That’s one solution we’ve identified that everyone is happy with!”