The 18.2 kilometre pipeline is "about 80 per cent done" according to Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson. It's estimated water will run through the pipe by late April.

But Water NSW will also need to test the pipe before putting it in full service late next month.

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The emergency project was announced last June as a response to fears of "day zero" - the day Tamworth would run out of water. Works started in November.

Water NSW spokesperson Tony Webber said one challenge for the project has been, ironically, rain. Over 400mm of rain has fallen in the construction area since groundbreaking.

The job's ambitious March target was set with the city's drought situation in mind. Despite the improved weather it's important to get the job done more or less on time, he said.

"It's one thing to do a project with a timeline you do yourself, it's another thing to have a timeline set by mother nature," he said.

The project will bolster Tamworth's water security into the future, he said.

"This project is as much in response to the current drought as it is an asset in future drought events.

When completed the pipeline will enormously reduce the amount of water lost between Chaffey Dam and the Calala Water Treatment Plant. It's estimated that as much as half the water poured down the Peel river is lost to evaporation and seepage.

In the meantime a temporary weir, pipeline and pumps have been doing the job.

In Tamworth Regional Council's latest figures, released yesterday, Chaffey was down 0.14 per cent. It is now 14.19 per cent full.

Dungowan Dam is 41.25 full, up half a per cent.

Split Rock Dam is 4.03 per cent full.

The project was due to be completed yesterday, March 11. Some 16.5 kilometres of pipe have been laid so far, leaving just 1.7 kilometres to go. The construction works have been worth as much as $1.3 million to the local economy.