Tamworth water supply: bulk filling stations to reopen in some towns and Nundle's restrictions roll back

Bulk filling stations in towns with water restrictions below Level 2 are back open for public use after Tamworth Regional Council made the decision at its ordinary meeting.

Access to the stations at Attunga, Barraba, Bendemeer, Manilla and Nundle has been restored, meaning water can be purchased for any purpose.

Controversy erupted in Manilla earlier this year when their station was open to the public, and the town's residents gathered in January to form a blockade with their cars to stop water carters from accessing the bulk filling facility.

Tamworth and Kootingal stations remain closed to the general public.

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The township of Nundle is in for a double win when their bulk filling site is re-opened. The town will also drop from Level 2 water restrictions to the minimum 'permanent conservation measures' on Monday.

Despite Chaffey Dam rising by only 0.06 per cent in the past week, council's manager of water operations Dan Coe said the Peel River in Nundle has seen good flows.

"We've been conservative with the flows in the river at Nundle but the river has been flowing well now at Nundle and in accordance with our drought management plan, Nundle will come off water restrictions," he said on Wednesday.

The move will give the town's residents freedom to use outdoor sprinkers and fixed hoses during non-daylight hours, as well as to wash their cars and water lawns.

However, Mr Coe warned the region is still in a precarious position when it comes to water supply.

"We obviously encourage people to conserve water as much as possible, we're still not out of the drought so be mindful," he said.

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Chaffey Dam, Tamworth's main water supply, is sitting at 13.96 per cent capacity, a figure it has been hovering around for weeks.

Tamworth's severe water restrictions cannot drop back from Level 5 until the dam hits 25 per cent full.

In council's latest water update, the average amount of water being released from the dam daily was significantly lower than previous weeks - down to eight megalitres a day.

Recent rainfall brought the river below Chaffey Dam bubbling back to life, and Mr Coe said it caused the demand for releases to decrease.

Tamworth residents hit the water target again this week, consuming an average daily amount of 15.02 megalitres. The goal for Level 5 is 16.01 megalitres per day.

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