Last weekend was a difficult one for Narromine residents and businesses, with Narromine Shire Council implementing EXTREME water restrictions early on Friday evening, January 30, following the critical failure of a raw water bore pump servicing the town of 3500 people west of Dubbo.

While a back-up bore was brought online on Friday, the bore pump was replaced over the weekend. The council announced the situation was resolved and there would be a return to Level 2 moderate water restrictions on Monday, February 2.

Residents were asked not to water gardens, wash cars or fill pools during the emergency measures over the weekend.

In a statement on February 2, council thanked residents and businesses for their excellent water conservation efforts during the extreme heat over the weekend of January 31 and February 1, which played a vital role in maintaining the water supply while urgent repairs were carried out. The temperature exceeded 40 degrees Celsius on both days in the area.

“The response from residents and businesses over the weekend has been outstanding, and it made a real difference,” Narromine Shire Council General Manager Jane Redden said.

“Council also acknowledges the dedication of staff and contractors who worked to repair the pump under extreme heat conditions on Saturday.”

Director of Infrastructure and Engineering Services Melanie Slimming also praised the efforts of council staff and contractors, recognising the significant challenge of completing the repair in such conditions, while also acknowledging the community’s collective effort to conserve water during two exceptionally hot days.

Council emphasised the ongoing restrictions are not due to a shortage of water, but rather, are necessary to ensure the Narromine Water Treatment Plant can continue to operate within capacity while meeting demand across the entire network.

Under Level 2 restrictions, Narromine residents must only undertake outdoor watering in the cooler parts of the day before 9am and after 6pm (which improves absorption, reduces evaporation and helps reduce overall water use) and on the following days:

• Odd-numbered properties: Sunday, Wednesday and Friday

• Even-numbered properties: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• No lawn or garden watering permitted on Mondays

Last weekend's water emergency was a critical escalation from the Level 2 restrictions introduced by the council at new year. Water has been an increasingly important subject for the council in recent months, with final design work underway to deliver Narromine's first permanent water treatment plant that will significantly boost local water quality for the town's 3500 residents. The concept design is expected to be completed in June 2026.

Council also placed its Draft Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) Plan on public exhibition on December 23, providing residents with the opportunity to comment on the IWCM Strategy (30-year water and sewer strategy) which council developed in accordance with NSW Department of Planning and Environment requirements.