Tamworth Regional Council is poised to introduce tougher new water restrictions in a couple of areas as some water supplies reach critical levels.
Worsening supply figures are being monitored at Manilla and Bendemeer where trigger levels for new water rules are at border level but it is the Barraba situation where the water watch is around the clock.
At Barraba, high consumption rates have continued to stretch supply and the town is now relying solely on the pumping trial from two council bores to meet demand.
The water flow in the Manilla River has now also dried up and the town’s two main supplies, the river and Barraba Creek, no longer are contributing any water to the overall supply. Connors Creek Dam is at a low level with water that is difficult to treat, according to water enterprises director Bruce Logan.
The council is now investigating contingency measures that could be used in an emergency.
“The bores are now supplying all of the Barraba demand but we’re at a critical point here because if those bores were to falter or fail, and if there’s no rain, then we are at a point where the town is completely dry.
“That’s the danger. And the council is putting together an emergency plan that would ensure the town continued to get water from somewhere. At the moment, we’re looking at the logistics of carting water in as a stop-gap but we also need to investigate just how long we could do that.”
Despite an appeal for the town to cut its consumption back and the rise in demand by nearly 30% over the past two weeks, consumption has remained at 700 kilolitres a day this week.
TRC says it also has to consider the likelihood of continued high temperatures, strong winds and also the threat of bushfires in emergency planning.
Mr Logan says if there is no improvement in the weather and demand continues at its current pace, then TRC will be forced to introduce new Level 1 rules in Manilla over the weekend and Level 3 at Barraba on Monday.
Level 3 would mean the banning of all hoses and sprinklers at Barraba. Only buckets or cans could then be used for watering lawns or gardens and only between 6:00pm and 8pm.
Private swimming pools may be topped up with buckets or cans at anytime. Vehicle washing with buckets or cans permitted from 6:00pm to 8:00am.
In Manilla flow over the weir on the Namoi Weir has decreased and as a result it looks like Manilla will move to Level 1 where sprinklers and fixed hoses can only be used for watering between 6:00pm and 8pm. Hand held hoses fitted with a trigger nozzle can only be used for watering of lawns, gardens and vehicle washing between 6:00pm and 8:00am. Water efficienct drip irrigations is allowed between 6:00pm and 8:00am and pools can be topped up anytime.
Flow in the Macdonald River at Bendemeer has slowed considerably recently. If the situation does not improve then Level 1 restrictions will be introduced in Bendemeer too later next week.
Permanent or Normal conservation measures are currently in place in Tamworth, Moonbi, Kootingal, Attunga, Bendemeer and Nundle. Sprinklers are allowed from 6:00pm to 8:00am. TRC is asking users to avoid using hand held hoses during the day and voluntarily conserve water use everywhere.