BATHURST residents have responded spectacularly to the region's water crisis with average usage cut by almost 50 per cent over the past 12 months.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Figures from Bathurst Regional Council show Bathurst people used an average of just 144 litres of water a day in February, down from 246 litres a day in Ferbuary 2019.
The drop came despite a sizzling start to February that saw the mercury top 40 degrees Celsius early in the month and only a slight increase in rainfall compared to previous year (51.6mm in February 2020 and 43.6mm in 2019).
ALSO MAKING NEWS:
Mayor Bobby Bourke said the results showed Bathurst residents had generally accepted the region's tighter water restrictions and were banding together to get through the current drought.
"I'm really encouraged that residents are listening to Bathurst Regional Council and they're on board with us," Cr Bourke said.
"People have realised it's not council's fault we haven't had a lot of rain and that we have to do this together.
"You (the newspaper) say I'm leading a council that's divided but on this issue we're united as one.
"Everyone's concerned about this weather pattern but we're moving forward.
"It's raining now (on Thursday) and I'm hoping it continues raining for a while but we won't stop what we are doing with stormwater harvesting, not just for now but for the future."
... residents are listening to Bathurst Regional Council and they're on board with us.
- Bathurst mayor Bobby Bourke
Cr Bourke welcomed news that council has issued just two penalties for water restrictions breaches.
Both fines were written in January at the height of summer and council also issued two caution letters in January and another three in February.
In addition, there have been 116 courtesy letters regarding water restrictions (including 55 in February) and 476 "education mailouts" which have included information about the water restrictions.
"It's a good result," Cr Bourke said.
"There are probably more fines that we could've written but this was never meant to be a revenue thing.
"It's about awareness and the Bathurst public has taken that on board."
Despite falling household consumption, though, the water level at Ben Chifley remains a significant concern for council.
When council took its weekly reading on Tuesday, the level was 29.3 per cent, a fall of just 0.2 per cent on a week earlier thanks to some rain in the catchment.
The next level of extreme water restrictions will be introduced if the dam falls to 22 per cent.
