Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) is pulling out all the stops in a $75,000 advertising blitz aimed at reducing water consumption.

The latest weapons in the council’s arsenal are two buses plastered with water-saving slogans designed to make the message clear to users.

It seems inevitable that Level 3 restrictions will start in the coming weeks, but the campaign is aimed at preventing the need for even more 

dramatic measures.

TRC’s water sustainability officer Ian Lobban said never before had Tamworth entered spring with less water in Chaffey Dam.

He said the Let’s Stretch Our Water Further campaign would also be rolled out across print, radio, television and social media.

“The Tamworth regional community is pretty good,” he said. “Probably about 95 per cent of them are really community-minded and interested in doing the right thing.

“The last 5 per cent need a little bit of 

education.”

Mr Lobban said in addition to the education campaign, the council’s compliance officers would be out in force to monitor usage habits.

“The system is that you get two warning letters and after that the compliance officers will be going after you with a fine, which is $220,” he said.

“After that, if you choose not to do the right thing, you’ll have a flow restrictor fitted to the property, which reduces flow down to about two litres a minute.

“It’s just enough to do all the essential things, but makes life pretty uncomfortable and there’s a connection and disconnection fee as well.”

The campaign is expected to run for about six months, or until significant rainfall.