IT APPEARS water use in the Tamworth region has finally eased as level three restrictions somewhat stifle the rapid release of water from Chaffey Dam.
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Tamworth Regional Council imposed level three restrictions on residents in the city and Moonbi-Kootingal two weeks ago.
Since then, the dam has fallen by 1.4 per cent to 28.6 per cent capacity.
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According to Water NSW, Chaffey Dam has been releasing about 90 megalitres of water a day which represented a significant reduction compared to volumes being released in January which were close to 190 megalitres every day.
It could see the council's "severe" level four water restrictions staved off for a few months.
At the current rate of use, it would take about 40 days for Chaffey Dam to hit the 25 per cent capacity trigger point for level four measures.
Level four aims to reduce the city's daily water use to 18.5 megalitres per day.
The council's drought management plan said this level of restrictions would only occur in "very rare" circumstances.
"This severe level of water restrictions includes banning all outdoor watering in order to reduce usage to around winter levels and would have a major impact on lawns and gardens, including loss of gardens in many cases," the 2015 plan said.
"The reestablishment of lawns and gardens after an extended period of severe restrictions would impose a relatively high cost on residences and therefore, the application of level four restrictions or higher would only occur in very rare circumstances."
Level four would also see the Scott Road drift wells activated to supplement to the city supply.
Once the restrictions are ratcheted-up, the council will also design and "seek approval to implement emergency supply options including making treated effluent available for industry and public parks watering" and look to install a temporary weir at Paradise.
Currently under level three measures, residents are able to use a handheld hose for 15 minutes a day, as well as watering via buckets, between the hours of 6pm and 8pm.
It comes after Tamworth recorded its wettest day for the year on Sunday with 15.2mm falling over the city.
It almost accounted for one-quarter of the city's total rainfall for 2019 with just 65mm falling since January 1; this is more than 78 per cent down on the long term average for the city.
While the wet weather was a welcome sight in Tamworth and Nundle, areas in the north of the region copped a deluge on the weekend.
There were reports of a 200mm downpour at Boomi and about 100mm at Goondiwindi.
Manilla and Bendemeer remain on level three; Nundle is already at level four, while Attunga and Barraba are on permanent conservation measures.
The average daily consumption in Tamworth Moonbi and Kootingal is 25.3 megalitres.