Residents are encouraged to follow simple water saving measures that will prolong the supply of water for when it is most needed.
That's the message from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.
Examples of ways to conserve water include fixing leaks around the house, turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, reducing your shower time and installing water saving devices.
These measures not only conserve water but can help reduce your water bill.
Level one water restrictions are currently not in place across the local government area but persistent periods of drier weather and the below average rainfall forecast will present challenges, the council says.
The water storage dams at Cowarra and Port Macquarie are sitting at above 95 per cent capacity.
Although these levels remain well above the 70 per cent trigger required to bring in level one water restrictions, more people are relying on the town water supply for critical household needs as tanks run dry.
Water saving measures
With this in mind, the council says now is the time to start thinking about ways to reduce water use to ensure stored water lasts longer for all.
Council's group manager utilities, planning and design Cameron Hawkins said ways to save water include reducing outdoor use during the day and not using sprinklers and soaker hoses.
The council is monitoring water storage levels and observing the flow of the Hastings River.
"We are also keeping a close eye on the short-term weather outlook over summer and the longer-term scenario that El Nino may bring," Mr Hawkins said.
"If and when the scenario arises where we need to implement water restrictions, we will undertake the necessary notifications required to the community about how and when water can be used."
In the meantime, householders are encouraged to "go slow on the H20" and follow simple water conservation techniques.
Council's efforts to help save water
Mr Hawkins pointed to the council's work to help save water, such as a leak detection program, which uncovered 192 leaks across the water network.
The detection and repair of these leaks will help prevent the loss of 565 megalitres a year, the equivalent of about a month's water supply.
Other council initiatives to ensure that water supply remains robust during times of drought include:
- Upgrading the Cowarra Dam Pump Station to back-feed water to Wauchope during low dam levels.
- Upgrading the Wauchope Water Treatment Plant to treat lower-level dam water, which may be of lower quality and poorer quality river water.
- Upgrading parts of the bulk water transfer network to allow treated water from Wauchope to be transferred into Port Macquarie, if required in an emergency.
Future water security projects are also on the agenda, with investment being made in the construction of the new Cowarra Water Treatment Plant.
"This will allow the full volume of the dams to be utilised and for water to be extracted from the river more often," Mr Hawkins said.
The council is on track for the plant to be operational by the end of 2027.
"We're also soon set to roll-out recycled water to homes with dual reticulated water connections, commencing with Bonny Hills in November," Mr Hawkins said.
"Having this highly-treated source of recycled water available to residents means that they'll be able to save on precious drinking water when washing, flushing and gardening."
Meanwhile, the council has draft water-related policies on public exhibition until Tuesday, October 31.
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