The Best Ways to Get Safe Drinking Water in Niue
With high temperatures in Niue, you will need to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. Sadly, most water in Niue is not treated. Although the locals can drink it without consequence, your stomach may not handle tap water so well. Because we’d love for you to spend most of your time in paradise exploring that said paradise, instead of on the toilet seat, we’ll give you a few ways to make sure that the water is safe to drink in Niue.
Note that there are hundreds of products on the market and tens of ways to purify water. Therefore, we have chosen the easiest to use when on a trip to Niue. All of the water treatment stated below will work well in Niue.
For more information on drinking water in Niue, check out our article on Can you Drink the Water in Niue? Plus, get more tips in 10 Health Tips for Niue.
1. Boil the Water for 10 minutes
By far the most well-known, safe and economical way to purify water is to bring your water to the boil and leave it on a hard boil for a whole 10 minutes. This will kill all viruses, bacteria and parasites and keep you safe when drinking. Note that in most cases, teas and coffees are not made out of water that has boiled for 10 minutes, so in case of doubt you can ask. Although, most restaurants in Niue use only treated water.
2. Use a Water-Purifying Bottle
Remove 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of waterborne protozoan simply by using a beefed-up version of your everyday water bottle. Water-purifying bottles, like the Lifestraw Bottle, help you save the planet by removing the need to buy tens of bottled water. How good is that?! We use this method when exploring Niue and all across the South Pacific to make sure that the untreated water that we have access to is safe to drink. Plus, that way, we can bring you back hundreds of travel tips so you too have a fun and safe trip! For more things to pack, see The Complete Packing List for Niue.
3. Get Water from Your Accommodation
Accommodation providers, and restaurants for that matter, invest a lot of money in making sure that their guests have access to safe drinking water. There is nothing like a bad water experience to create a storm of bad reviews! For this reason, most accommodation and restaurants in Niue use carbon filters, UV filtration systems or chemical treatment to ensure that the water they provide their guests is safe to drink. It’s always good to ask if the water is treated though, just in case.
4. Use Water Purifying Tablets
Using water purifying tablets to purify water has been done for decades and has kept millions, if not billions of travellers safe during trips to the most remote places on earth. This method comes as little sachets or tablet and, when mixed into your water for a certain amount of time, will kill most bacteria and parasites present in it making it safe to drink. The one inconvenience is that it often makes the water taste “chemically”. Luckily, there is an alternative, keep reading…
5. Use Water Purifying Solution
If taste matters to you, then try a water purifying solution. It not only purifies the water as well as tablets and sachet do, but it also improves the taste, clarity and odour of the water. One small vial of 60ml (2fl) can treat up to 68l (15gal) of water, so although it is not as cheap as the tablets, it is still a very cost-effective option. On top of that, the solution has a very long expiry date, even after being opened as it is mineral-based. That’s right, it is chemical-free and great for you and the planet! For more health products to pack, see What to Medication to Pack in Your First Aid Kit for Niue.
6. Buy Bottled Water
If worse comes to worst, you can rely on imported bottled water. Because it is expensive and extremely bad for the environment, it only comes at the end of our list. However, it is still worth mentioning as, in case of emergency, you can always turn to bottled water. You can save a bit of money by purchasing your water from the local supermarkets in Alofi like Swanson and Double M, but it will still be more expensive in the long-term than all the other options stated above. If using bottled water during your trip, please take care to keep Niue pristine and dispose of them responsibly.
More About Health, Safety and Making Sure Water is Safe to Drink in Niue
- 10 Best Natural Insect Repellents for Niue
- What are the Best Sunscreens for Niue?
- Do You Need Vaccines to Travel to Niue?
That’s it for ways to make sure the water is safe to drink in Niue. Get even more travel tips for Niue from The Complete Travel Guide to Niue and the 31 Tips for Travelling in Niue.
Author
Robin C.
This article was reviewed and published by Robin, the co-founder of Niue Pocket Guide. He has lived, worked and travelled across 16 different countries before settling in the South Pacific, so he knows a thing or two about planning the perfect trip in this corner of the world. He is also consulting regularly with Niue Tourism to ensure content accuracy. Robin is also the co-founder of several other South Pacific travel guides and is a regular host of webinars with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation.