Like much of the region, Sofala is in the middle of a very long dry spell with rainwater tanks quickly emptying and the Turon River all but dry.

Residents and businesses rely on rainfall for their drinking water, while water is pumped from the river to flush toilets and water gardens.

Royal Hotel owner Marty Tomkinson said the village’s lack of water had been “critical” for the past two months.

“It’s now down to the point where it’s below the gravel and we’re not allowed to dig the river,” he said.

“If we ran out of water the business will close down.”

Mr Tomkinson said regulations do not allow residents to tap into their rainwater tanks to use to flush toilets.

“I’ve been here for 50 years and I’d say this is the worst drought we’ve seen,” he said. “We’re battling though as best we can.”

Mr Tomkinson contacted Bathurst Regional Council who offered, for a fee, to truck in water for residents, however, he said the village had no adequate storage.

Cafe Sofala owner Ralph Mueller has run his business for the past 20 years and said he could not remember a time so dry.

“This is the worst and the longest time without water in the catchment,” he said.

“It’s been going on for nine months without any decent water coming in.

“I have to buy in my drinking water for my home and the restaurant. The toilets are run by what’s in the river.”

In order to ensure he can continue to run his business, Mr Mueller will use his water licence to call in a contractor to dig a deeper hole to obtain additional water.

Bathurst deputy mayor Bobby Bourke said Sofala residents had contacted him and more needed to be done to assist the village.

“I feel council has the responsibility to ensure they have water,” he said. “Council should be giving some kind of assistance, but to do that there has to be a resolution [from councillors] to assist Sofala.”

Cr Bourke encouraged leaders in Sofala to “canvas the council to create some sort of [water] storage out there”.

Council’s director of engineering Darren Sturgiss said the extended period of dry weather had impacted many residents and landholders.

“Council sells potable water from the standpipes in Hereford Street which can be accessed by residents for use and storage in their on-site water tanks,” he said. “Rural residents are also able to source potable water from licensed water contractors.”

Meanwhile, Mr Tomkinson queried whether roadworks being conducted by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) up river near Mudgee had impacted the Turon River’s water level.

At the time of going to print, the Western Advocate was waiting on a response from the RMS.