NARRABRI township moved to Level 4 Water Restrictions from midnight last night, following a significant and continued drop in the Namoi Street Reservoir level over the past week.
The decision came as the Elizabeth Street bore remains the only active source supplying the Narrabri town water network.
The Killarney Street and Tibbereena Street bores remain offline as PFAS levels continue to exceed the updated Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
The Elizabeth Street bore can only pump a limited amount of water each day.
Over recent days, community water use has increased due to higher temperatures, causing the reservoir to fall faster than it can be replenished.
Level 4 restrictions have been introduced to protect the town’s supply and ensure there is enough water for essential needs.
Council has been actively advocating to the NSW Government for urgent support to help address the issue and has engaged water specialists to identify and implement long-term solutions.
However, these works take time to deliver due to required regulatory approvals and technical complexities.
In the meantime, behaviour change is the fastest and most effective way to reduce water demand.
The community is being asked to play its part and continue to make small, meaningful changes that together will make a big difference.
Some members of the community have asked why restrictions weren’t introduced earlier.
Council follows established restriction triggers to ensure decisions are made consistently and with minimal unnecessary impact.
The recent sharp rise in temperatures accelerated demand more than anticipated. Even with hindsight, an earlier introduction of Level 2 restrictions would likely have only delayed further restrictions by about a week.
Council has also heard feedback from residents who were unaware of earlier restrictions.
To address this, the communication approach has been expanded and now includes paid advertising on radio, print, and social media, in addition to Council’s regular website, newspaper, social media, and media updates.
Council’s focus remains on ensuring the community has a safe, reliable, and sustainable water supply.
What Level 4 Restrictions Mean
Residential
Garden watering: Handheld hoses only between 7pm and 7am;
Cleaning (footpaths, driveways, buildings, etc.): Not allowed;
Swimming pools: Filling new pools requires Council approval; topping up existing pools permitted; and
Vehicle washing: Not allowed;
Commercial
Lawns and gardens (including racecourse, bowling greens, golf course): Recycled water and handheld hoses only;
Schools and health care services: Handheld hoses between 7pm and 7am only;
Cleaning (footpaths, driveways, buildings, etc.): Recycled water only;
Washing of new or used cars for sale: Bucket washing only; and
Emergency Services: Exempt from restrictions.
Council Facilities
Public parks and gardens: Fixed hoses and sprinklers may only be used for up to 3 hours per day;
Public sports grounds and playing fields: Automatic sprinklers 1 hour per line every second night; and
Splash parks: Non-operational.
Council will continue to provide regular updates as the situation evolves.
For more information on water restrictions and tips for reducing household water use, visit Narrabri Water Restrictions.
