Last week SCA notified the Fish River Customer Council of their intention of possibly accessing their allocation from the dam in coming weeks.

A spokesperson from State Water has confirmed to the Oberon Review that SCA may require up to 24 megalitres per week from the dam to provide communities in the mountains, but at this stage have not set a date to begin drawing from the supply. The spokesperson said that SCA would only utilise the source if it is needed.

However, with the large amounts of rain received in the Sydney Catchment over the past week, Oberon Council is crossing its fingers that SCA will not require water from the dam.

Sydney received its largest rainfall since June 2007, and up until Sunday had received 115 mm over the Warragamba Catch-ment. Mayor Keith Sullivan is grateful to the SCA for not utilising its allocation over the past 14 months, and said that SCA have been responsible water users of the dam.

“It must be remembered that if it wasn't for SCA exiting the dam in 2008, we would have been in trouble a long time ago,” he said.

According to Cr Sullivan, SCA are entitled to 1275 megalitres a year under current restrictions. However, if the dam drops below eight per cent capacity and Delta Electricity is placed on a 96 per cent reduction, SCA is only placed on a 65 per cent reduction.

Cr Sullivan said he is confident that with the extra rain, SCA will not require Oberon Dam water.

“SCA sees Oberon dam as only a last resort,” he said.

The Oberon Dam has risen slightly this week to 9.76 per cent, due to excellent local falls.

Jenolan Caves received 123.6mm and Black Springs received 43.5mm for the week.