Rodney Stevens

Clarence Valley water storage facilities are full, and the Nymboida River is clean enough for Clarence Valley Council to extract water under NSW Health regulations, prompting council to lift Level Four water restrictions on February 15.

It was determined on January 31 that the water in the Nymboida River and Shannon Creek Dam were both too dirty to use for drinking water under NSW Health regulations following rain events and the continued impact of the 2019 bushfires, a council spokesman said.

The spokesman said once council successfully renegotiated a return flow of clean water from Coffs Harbour and improvements in turbidity levels of the Nymboida River meant the Level Four (severe) water restrictions could be lifted for the whole Clarence Valley.

Despite no current water restrictions being in place for the Clarence Valley, the following permanent water conservation measures are in place;

The use of sprinklers and unattended hoses is banned permanently from 9am to 4pm.

Building maintenance is allowed with trigger nozzle hoses or pressure cleaners only.

Hosing any driveways, paved areas or concrete surfaces is banned except for health/safety reasons or by using pressure cleaners.

Car washing is allowed providing the runoff is onto a lawn and not down a drain, where practical.