SERIOUS discussions about changing the trigger point for level four restrictions are expected to occur within the next four weeks.
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Bathurst Regional Council held a working party last week to discuss the current water situation for the local government area.
Councillor Monica Morse said that, at the meeting, she and her colleagues sat through a "very, very good presentation" by director of Engineering Services, Darren Sturgiss, about the state of the dam and Macquarie River.
Mr Sturgiss also presented councillors with forecasts for what levels could look like in a number of situations, such as if there is no significant rain in winter and the effect if higher level restrictions were imposed.
Cr Morse felt the information presented by Mr Sturgiss and his department would dictate whether or not the trigger for level four restrictions was altered.
"I think it was really agreed [by councillors] that we have to listen to the city engineers. They are the experts," she said.
It is thought that Mr Sturgiss will return a report to councillors with his recommendations at council's July ordinary meeting.
Earlier this month, Cr Morse raised serious concern about the Macquarie River, which is currently much lower than typically seen at this time of year.
While there has been rainfall recorded in Bathurst in recent days, she said residents couldn't become complacent and had to be prepared in the event council imposed harsher restrictions.
"You just can't let [the dam] keep going down. We have to save it and we have to let the community know that we need to save it," she said.
She also said that, if council were to impose level four restrictions, there would be a crackdown on water usage and people would be more likely to receive fines for doing the wrong thing.
Cr Jess Jennings said that another topic of discussion from the working party was the needs of the irrigators who rely on Chifley Dam.
He said it was essential that council understood the economic value of their crops, what Bathurst would miss out on if they couldn't deliver those crops and any alternatives they might have to deliver different crops or reduced volumes.
Council has been meeting with irrigators, but Cr Jennings further encouraged them to come forward with any information they may have to assist council in its decision making.
"All of us as councillors and all of the council staff do not want to see our agriculture impinged upon at all through this drought because of dam management," he said.
"The more information we have from them, the better."