WATER, water everywhere and Tamworth will be bumped down to its lowest level restrictions for the first time in two-and-a-half years.
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Tamworth Regional Council water and waste director Bruce Logan announced the "good news" on Thursday morning, as Chaffey Dam hit 50.3 per cent capacity, pulling the trigger to ease restrictions from level one to permanent water conservation measures, coming into effect on Saturday.
It’s been a long time between drinks since Tamworth and the region have seen restrictions this low.
The level at Chaffey equates to about 81 per cent in the old measure, before augmentation, a level not seen since September 2013.
Mr Logan said the last time Tamworth was on permanent conservation measures was back in February 2014.
Increased flow from the Peel River since June have risen bore levels by about one metre in Attunga, to the north of Tamworth, also triggering an easing of water restrictions.
"For the first time in over two years, we're looking at having all of our centres and supply areas having permanent conservation measures,” Mr Logan said.
The base level measures could be around for a while too, according the region’s water director, with the trigger for tightening restrictions sitting at 40 per cent.
“[That’s] 10 ten per cent, or 10,000 megalitres which is a significant amount of water,” Mr Logan said.
“It depends on consumption, average consumption is around 16 to 18 megalitres a day.”
In the council’s drought management plan, the target water consumption in level five emergency conditions is 16.1 megalitres a day. While water use is very low at the moment, Mr Logan said consumption can ramp up to 50 megalitres a day, in summer.
Mr Logan said it was not time for complacency and urged considerate use from the public.
Under new measures, residents can use sprinklers any time outside “the heat of the day”, between the hours 9am and 4pm.
Handheld hoses, buckets or watering cans can be used on lawns or garden or vehicles at any time.