COUNCILLORS are urging people not to be fooled by the green grass around the city.
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With more regular rainfall recently, residential lawns and public spaces have become much more green, but that hasn't had an effect on water restrictions.
Chifley Dam is still below 30 per cent capacity and councillors are urging people to continue strict compliance with the restrictions.
"We're looking very green and people are actually mowing grass, and I think we've got to be very, very careful that people don't get complacent," councillor Monica Morse said.
"I know in other places, immediately it rains and they say 'Oh, we're fine, we don't need to go for water restrictions'.
"... It is not the end of the drought and I think we need to make that very clear."
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Cr Warren Aubin said that Bathurst is experiencing "a green drought", but water must still be saved.
Cr Jess Jennings has also reminded people that, without water restrictions being imposed in 2018, Bathurst would have significantly less water in storage, to the point where the city would now be on critical restrictions.
He said residents had to be commended for their compliance so far.
"I'm really impressed and I think the residents of Bathurst and the irrigators need to be congratulated," Cr Jennings said.
Bathurst received just under 50 millimetres last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as a system associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Esther moved across the inland.
The city has now had 141mm for the year, but is still below the long-term average to March of 176mm.
The city's water restrictions were altered in late February in response to the dam dropping below 29 per cent.
Under the new restrictions, homeowners are banned from using a hose, microspray system or other water-efficient irrigation systems. Instead, gardens can only be watered using buckets or watering cans.
Watering is now allowed before 10am or after 4pm, on Wednesdays and Sundays only for 30 minutes of filling time. The 30 minutes applies for the time it takes to fill buckets and watering cans.
Council says it is working on and investigating projects to increase water security, including stormwater harvesting and the Winburndale pipeline.
