TAMWORTH Regional Council has vowed the city's country music festival will go ahead despite the prospect the city will move to tougher water restrictions in September.
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The council says the event pumps $50 million into the local economy and the city's daily water usage was greater, on average, outside of the 10-day festival in January last year.
Economic impacts far outweigh the water losses, and the financial boost is needed to keep struggling businesses afloat in the big dry, the council said. It also said local residents watering their lawns and gardens were a bigger drain on the city supplies than festival's 50,000 visitors.
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Festival manager Barry Harley and the council's water director Bruce Logan will front a press conference on Thursday to outline the plan for January and say the festival must go on.
"Visitors to the region will be expected to follow water restrictions just like any resident and will be subject to the same enforcement activities if they are seen breaching restrictions," Mr Logan and Mr Harley said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
In January 2019, the water consumption figures show during festival the city used 39.44 megalitres per day, while out of festival the daily usage rate was 41 megalitres, despite temperatures hovering at 38 degrees throughout the month.
Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal are expected to remain on level four restrictions until early September with Chaffey Dam's capacity just above 22 per cent. The trigger point for level five restrictions is 20 per cent.
The city's daily consumption (17.17) is currently below target (18.5).
Manilla and Bendemeer remain on level 3 restrictions while Attunga is one level 1 and Barraba is on permanent water conservation measures.