AT LEAST one community's water situation has turned around dramatically in recent days.
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The Namoi River had almost trickled to a halt and the council eventually introduced level 4 water restrictions in the community.
However, the tides have turned.
The Namoi has been flowing strongly all week and water has been spilling over Manilla's famous weir in vast volumes.
While it is a welcome sight, Tamworth Regional Council has indicated it won't be easing restrictions any time soon.
"We are seeing the Macdonald at Bendemeer has got quite a lot of flow in it," the council's water director Bruce Logan said.
"That has reached the Namoi and and we have seen the Namoi weir at Manilla over-topping.
"That is good news."
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Towns pulling their water supply from the region's rivers, such as Manilla, Nundle and Bendemeer, aren't out of the woods just yet, Mr Logan warned.
"We just need to make sure the flows we are seeing are sustainable in the long term," he said.
"It will be six-to-eight weeks before we start thinking about whether we need to relax restrictions or anything like that.
"Given the way the rivers can come up and down, we want to make sure we are not chopping and changing quickly."
The surge in water levels led to Water NSW lifting pumping restrictions for some high security users in the Peel valley, and for unregulated access in the Mooki River and Quirindi Creek.
WaterNSW will continue to monitor any rainfall and advise if there are any further flows which warrant more restrictions being eased prior to January 31.
More information about temporary restrictions can be found on the NSW government's department of water website.