While Bathurst looks at developing stormwater harvesting, Orange (where a stormwater harvesting system is already operating) is looking further ahead at the possibility of having pipelines move water around the cities and towns of the region.

In Dubbo, meanwhile, mayor Ben Shields is also concerned about poor relations between the local and state tiers of government and says the "silly games" must end.

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Bathurst mayor Bobby Bourke, who took over the reins around three months ago, said when it comes to council's top priority for 2020, water security is a "no-brainer".

"It's just so dry, there's no water, and something has to be done about it," he said.

"This water shortage [being experienced] could go on forever.

"Even in the shorter term as mayor, my goal is to improve the situation here, so it's easier on the next mayor coming in."

With just nine months until the next local government elections, Cr Bourke said there is still plenty that can be done to work on the situation.

"My absolute priority is to get stormwater harvesting up and running in the city - places where we can store water when it does rain, so we've got more supplies when they are needed," he said.

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He would like to see Bathurst Regional Council construct two small dams on the Kelso floodplains to collect and store stormwater to be used in times of drought.

The key to the success of the project would be connecting those dams to the Winburndale pipeline so water could be pumped to the water filtration plant.

"It's been a long-term project of mine and the council, and the sooner it's up and running, the better," he said.

Looking at 2020, Cr Bourke said another thing he'd like to see is a reduction in bureaucracy so jobs that need to be done can be done sooner.

"The red tape needs to stop," he said. "I've seen a lot more of it as the mayor ... you want to do something but they say 'you can't do that because it's RMS or Fisheries or another department'.

"These people in their big offices sitting in Sydney ... they need to get out into the region and see how things really are.

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"We should give them a weekend out here to see for themselves."

As for other plans in the next 12 months, Cr Bourke is looking forward to the development of the Bathurst CBD master plan and seeing action taken on it.

"The money is there now, they are just doing the consultancy," he said.

"We need to do something with the TAFE building and the old ambulance station as well."

While these projects are clearly important, Cr Bourke said they are still below water security when it comes to council's priorities.

"There's a big list of things that need to be done, but I don't care if I don't do anything else as mayor [apart from water security]," he said.

Cr Bourke said he is happy with other projects which have been completed in the past year, including the skate park upgrade and the soon-to-open railway museum, which he said will be a great attraction for the city.

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He paid tribute to the staff at Bathurst Regional Council, saying they do an excellent job.

"I've been around all the departments. It's not an easy job and the skills they have are impressive.

"If council had more money, more could be done, but in saying that, I don't want to be the mayor that puts up people's rates.

"We just have to make the most of what we have."

LIKE Cr Bourke, Dubbo mayor Ben Shields has nominated water security as high on his priorities for the year ahead, but he has one other pressing issue he wants addressed.

His goal for 2020 is better co-operation between local and state governments.

"There's a big disconnect between local government and the State Government and the issue is not geographical," he said.

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"One of my goals for 2020 is to develop better relationships between Dubbo Council and the State Government; at the moment it's not working as best as it can.

"And it's a problem that's across the board.

"We've got to stop the silly games that are being played so local and state governments can start working together."

Cr Shields said Dubbo's current council was "amazing".

"We haven't had harmony like this in 30 years," he said.

"There's no fighting. We're all moving in the same direction, wisely using ratepayers' money.

"Our decisions and strategic direction is in harmony."

He said given the fact Wellington Shire and Dubbo City Council only recently merged, this was no easy feat.

"It hasn't been easy ... merging Wellington Shire and Dubbo City Council was a huge task ... ratepayers on both sides weren't happy. The teething problems could have gone on for a decade, but they haven't."

He said another issue facing the council is a skills shortage west of the mountains - which, he said, is made harder by the limited co-operation local council has with the State Government.

"We've really got to try and overcome this situation ... overcome the political rivalry between the two levels of government," he said.

He said the situation was becoming ludicrous.

"A state minister comes to visit Dubbo, and council don't even know about it. It really is just ridiculous.

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"The State Government needs to remember ratepayers are also taxpayers."

Asked if he was optimistic about finding a solution to the problem, Cr Shields was guarded.

"Calm heads need to be at play here and the blame game at all levels of government is getting out of hand," he said.

"There are just so many things to do at the moment, but the main one, for me, is respect for local council, both operationally and from council's point of view."

He said a perfect example of the problem between state and local government was Dubbo's River Street Bridge project.

Cr Shields said a bypass is needed, but the State Government "won't listen".

"I tried to get information from the State Government but it was like pulling teeth.

"They [the State Government] went against popular opinion. The bridge won't fix traffic issues; it's clear a bypass is needed, but that plea fell on deaf ears.

"We need a bypass, but they won't negotiate."

Cr Shields said he was sick and tired of trying to cover the breakdown in relationship between the state and local government.

"This has to be said. People have got to be aware," he said.

WATER security has been a long-term priority for Orange mayor Reg Kidd. Ten years ago he moved a motion to look at the issue - not just in relation to drought, but also contamination.

After the city nearly ran out of water during the drought that ended in 2012, Orange City Council invested $90 million on measures such as expanding its dam capacity, building pipelines and developing Australia's first stormwater harvesting system for potable use.

As a result, the city has led Australia in stormwater harvesting, with the council receiving national and international recognition for its work.

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Cr Kidd, a veteran of local government with 29 years of service under his belt, said the council is now in the process of extending its system so it operates on both sides of the city.

"We received further funding a month ago," he said.

Cr Kidd said if Orange Council hadn't taken the direction it had 10 years ago, the city would be in dire straits.

"At the time, when we first put forward the idea for stormwater harvesting, people thought we had gone mad," he said.

"They said 'no way - there's dog poo and cigarette butts in there'.

"But now it's worn as a badge of honour."

He said Orange Council is also committed to working with CENTROC [Central NSW Councils group] in pushing to develop pipelines which will enable water to be moved to areas across the Central West which are running out of the resource.

"We're talking about linking up Bathurst, Blayney, Orange, Carcoar, Cowra, Condobolin. It's all about sustainable growth into the future," he said.

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