Armidale and Guyra residents will be asked to cut back on water usage as Level 1 water restrictions are introduced around the Local Government Area (LGA).
Councillors agreed at the October 2023 general meeting that it would move residents to Level 1 water restrictions when total dam storage was at 90 per cent and move to Level 2 water restrictions when total dam storage was at 80 per cent.
Previously Council's Drought Management Plan (DMP) had Level 1 restrictions being implemented when total storage dropped to 80 per cent.Mayor Sam Coupland said: "It is important to implement water restrictions well before water levels at our dams reduce to the point that seriously impact our ability to supply water to our community."
The dams are currently at 90 per cent so residents need to start looking at how they are using water and implement changes to make sure they are complying with the Level 1 water restriction guidelines.
"As a community we need to work together to not only do what is best for the environment but to also make sure we conserve the water in our dams for any predicted dry times we have ahead of us."
Level 1 water restrictions involve households using no more than 180 litres per person per day and include restrictions like not watering gardens or washing cars with hoses during the heat of the day and using sprinklers for two hours only.
Residents can refer to Council's website
