Tamworth Regional Council mayor Col Murray described the new half-a-billion dollar Dungowan Dam as the "next layer" of water security for Tamworth, but said ideas like water recycling would spell the "long, long term" solution to water worries as the population continues to grow.

"When we talk to new business and new industries bringing in the jobs of the future, their number one concern is water security," Cr Murray told the Leader.

"I'll always remain positive that the government of the day will provide long term water security, because that's the role of the state government."

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Council has adopted a target of 100,000 residents in the next 25 years, but off the back of the big dry, Cr Murray said water supply needs to be addressed.

"Certainly the new Dungowan Dam will provide that next layer of water security but I don't believe that will be a long, long term solution, that will be made up of a number of different things, potentially like the Peel River weir that's been floated and water recycling," he said.

Despite the mayor's confidence that the new dam build will ease the city's water woes, it has not been revealed how the precious resource in the dam will be shared among users.

"There was a statement made early in the piece that 7GL [7000ML] would be available for the city ... I can only assume that would be 7GL in addition to the existing entitlement," Cr Murray said.

"I would suggest ... voters in the Tamworth electorate will have a strong voice and opinion on who might be the next local member [MP] if that allocation from Dungowan Dam is not appropriate."

Cr Murray said as the city's population out-grows the amount of water that can come from dams, he'd like to see council look at water recycling, storm water capturing and a possible weir in the Peel River.

Council's water director Bruce Logan said council would have to consider "securing additional water" as more people make the move to the city.

"We want to see that the new Dungowan Dam significantly improves the security of Tamworth's water supply," Mr Logan said.

"We want to see modelling done on the proposed dam and how that water is going to be shared and that water shows council that the community is going to have a more secure water supply for the next 30 years from the new Dungowan Dam."

Mr Logan could not be drawn on what he would specifically like to see from the state government when the dam plans are revealed.

He told the Leader the daily water use targets set down in the drought management plan - which is being reviewed - may have to be adjusted as more people tap into town water.

"We do have to keep an eye on the targets but it's not a population-driven thing at this stage," he said.

The drought management plan will be re-drafted this year, but will likely be reviewed again when any allocation from the new Dungowan Dam is confirmed.

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