COVID-19 may be dominating the headlines, but locals are being urged to follow tight water restrictions as Chaffey Dam continues to plummet.
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Recent rainfall has failed to boost the dam which is Tamworth's main source of water.
An influx of coronavirus information has forced Tamworth Regional Council to scale back water conservation marketing.
Council's director of water and waste Bruce Logan said the city is on "very severe" Level 5 water restrictions.
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"Chaffey Dam hasn't recovered at all from its levels that it was at, say, six months ago," he said on Wednesday.
"Water restrictions are very, very important and the ability for us to communicate and get that message out there still is with us.
"The coronavirus has crammed the airways to a certain extent, but we are still trying to encourage and remind and educate people about the need to conserve water whenever they can."
Water use in Tamworth has been close to the target level over the last month, and Mr Logan said he isn't concerned that more hand washing due to coronavirus would raise water usage in Tamworth.
Tamworth remains on Level 5 restrictions and isn't expected to change until the dam falls to 10 per cent. Chaffey is currently sitting at 13.7 per cent.
Despite the coronvirus health crisis, Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said the city cannot afford to push the drought aside.
"Just because we are in unprecedented times doesn't mean we can lose focus on what needs to be in place for the future," he said.
"It is crucial we push ahead ... to ensure our future water supply."
Manilla and Barraba can breath a little easier on Monday when water restrictions are lifted from Level 4 to the minimum 'permanent water conservation measures'.
Split Rock Dam supplies the two townships and even at 4.06 per cent, it contains 20,000 megalitres of water, or 8000 swimming pools.
It had almost half-a-per cent added to its capacity after rainfall in the catchment earlier this week.
Mr Logan said the water in the dam should sustain Barraba and Manilla "indefinitely".
"It's all about the drought management plan ... when the flows that we're seeing in the Namoi River at the moment are happening, then we apply the restrictions as per that flow," he said.
Water NSW has started releasing water from Split Rock Dam again.
"The issue is how much water is released from the dam for other purposes," Mr Logan said.
He said council will work with the state government to "keep an eye" on the outflows and will change water restrictions in the area as they need.
The bulk-filling station at Manilla remains closed and it's up to Tamworth council to re-consider opening it, under a drought management plan.
Dungowan Dam is sitting 42.5 per cent after .8 of a per cent flowed into the dam thanks to last weekend's rainfall.