TAMWORTH Regional Council is set to get tougher on the city's water restrictions as supplies continue to dwindle.
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The council will give an official update on the situation tomorrow morning as the primary supply for the town, Chaffey Dam, falls below 30.5 per cent.
The trigger for level three restrictions in Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal is when the dam hits 30 per cent capacity.
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Water NSW is currently releasing about 118 megalitres of water from Chaffey every day.
At this rate, the dam will hit the level three trigger point in about four days.
It appears the council still needs to rein in residential water use, with Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal consuming about 30 megalitres a day, while targets set down in the conservation plan aim for a daily usage rate of about 20-25 megalitres.
In the council's drought management plan, level three restrictions will also amp up resources for "the issuing of warnings and fines for violation of restrictions". The last time Tamworth was on level three restrictions was in July 2016.
Split Rock Dam is at 3 per cent of active capacity and is currently releasing around 60 megalitres a day for the upper Namoi.
Elsewhere, Nundle is on level four, Manilla and Bendemeer are at level three, while Attunga and Barraba are on permanent conservation measures.
What level three will mean
The use of all sprinklers is banned – including sprinklers, sprays, microjet sprays, fixed hoses and subsurface dripper systems.
Handheld hoses can only be used for 15 minutes per property within the two hour window of 6pm to 8pm (Daylight Saving time).
Buckets and watering cans can be used within the two hour window without limitation.