And with temperatures set to sizzle in coming days, the boost to council’s coffers is expected to soar even further.

Water usage statistics released by Bathurst Regional Council this week show consumers are guzzling through 26.1 million litres of filtered water every day – the equivalent of 10.4 Olympic sized swimming pools.

The amount of treated water returned to the Macquarie River is averaging 8.1 million litres a day.

With summer just around the corner, residents pay $1.52 for each 1000 litres they use as well as a yearly availability charge of $112 per household.

The bad news is that heatwave conditions are set to descend on Bathurst tomorrow.

Forecasters are predicting a top of 37 degrees as the region swelters on the back of drought-like conditions.

The scenario isn’t much better for Saturday either with a range of 19-36 degrees, but there is the chance of possible thunderstorms.

However, the good news for Bathurst residents is that the city’s water supply at The Lagoon’s Ben Chifley Dam is in tip top shape.

As of November 27 it was at 97.2 per cent, with more than 29,000 million litres in storage.

Compared to the same time last year there is three per cent less in storage. 

November has been a horror month for rainfall with local farmers moving to sell stock due to failing pastures amid fears of having to handfeed through summer.

Weatherzone statistics have only 5.9mm recorded for the month compared to the normal monthly average of 62.2mm. The driest November on record was in 1915 with only 0.8mm.

According to statistical information compiled by Bathurst Regional Council, inflows are currently around 20 million litres a day.

According to Russell Deans from Bathurst Regional Council there is a low level blue green algae alert in place for Ben Chifley Dam.

“Blue green algae is a naturally occurring organism often found in Chifley Dam,” he said. “It is usually visible in the form of floating green particles in the water. 

“It is first detected in the water at low amounts, possibly signalling the early stages of the development of a bloom.

“At these concentrations, the blue-green algae do not pose a threat to recreational, stock or domestic use. Low numbers of algae are not a hazard. However, under appropriate weather conditions the algae cells accumulate in certain areas, forced to one shoreline of the dam by prevailing winds, they form colonies turning the water bright green.

“Warm temperatures and high nutrient levels cause the algae levels to bloom to high numbers, rafts of scum can turn various shades of blue or grey.”