Level 6 water restrictions will be put in place when the dam level goes below 10 per cent capacity, and with the dam dropping on average close to half a per cent capacity weekly since the beginning of the year, 10 per cent capacity may only be eight weeks away.

Level 6 water restrictions would mean that there will be no external use of water on gardens, washing cars and so on, unless residents use grey water from their homes.

When the dam capacity dipped below the 15 per cent mark, State Water predicted that, in the worst case scenario with absolutely no rain at all, there is around three years water for Oberon, Lithgow villages, and the 230 domestic minor customers.

State Water's Water Delivery Manager for the Fish River Sri Sritharan has reassured residents that providing drinking water to the community remains their top priority.

“We want to reassure the communities of both Oberon and Lithgow that the drought management strategies developed and implemented by the Customer Council ensure highest priority for people’s drinking water and is on track. The focus for the Customer Council is to extend the delivery of town water supplies as long as possible.

“Town water supplies will have priority during the current drought and be delivered first before other water user needs are met," he said.

With the plans for the water re-use scheme coming to a halt, it seemed the lack of solution meant that remaining funds from the $250 000 given to Oberon Council for the scheme would be returned to the Federal Government. However, the Government is not keen to give up on the project, and has referred the issue to the CSIRO.

General Manager of Oberon Council Bruce Fitzpatrick said that the CSIRO can use their cutting-edge technology and research to ascertain if there is a solution for Oberon's water worries.

"The Federal Government is willing to throw more resources at it," said Mr Fitzpatrick. With the water situation becoming more serious by the day, residents need to be more diligent than ever in saving water to avoid the water situation worsening further.