A number of temporary challenges; including influenza, COVID, continued weather events and a pre-existing staff shortage are impacting the timeliness and effective delivery of our services.Please continue to get in touch with us, report issues, and send enquiries - we will be in contact as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience.
Most of the properties in our area are connected to town water and have a water meter which records the use of water.
It is useful to know where your water meter is because the stop tap, which controls the flow of water to your house is also located inside the water meter box.
In an emergency such as a broken water pipe or a need to change a tap washer inside your property, you can use the stop tap to turn off the water supply to your house.
If you need to connect to town water and want us to install a water meter you need to complete our water service application.
We actively monitor the accuracy of water meters, and will replace inaccurate or faulty meters. We will replace the meter at no cost if the meter:
If you think your water meter is not accurately recording your usage you can please contact us to request an accuracy check.
Some of the properties in our area rely on water tanks which are filled by collecting rainwater; if you rely on your tank for drinking water and you run out, you can call one of our approved water carters:
Water carters need to a licence from us to operate. As part of this, they must adhere to strict conditions and requirements to ensure the water they supply is free from contamination and safe to drink.
Apply for a Water compliance certificate (Section 305-307 of the Water Management Act 2000) when you are ready to confirm you have satisfied the development consent conditions to adequately service the new subdivision or development with water, wastewater or stormwater services. You need this Certificate when you subdivide or develop land.
Where does our water come from?
Water for our region is stored in several dams and reservoirs. These are replenished from local rivers, under strict conditions. Water is then treated to make it safe for everyone to use.
The main water storage reservoirs for our region are Port Macquarie Dam and Cowarra Dam.
Wauchope, Comboyne, Long Flat and Telegraph Point have their own water supplies which are pumped directly from the Thone River, the Hastings River and the Wilson River.
Here’s a map of our water catchment areas and storage locations(PDF, 599KB).
Water is regularly pumped from the Hastings River at Koree Island, near Wauchope, to replenish our water supplies. The Koree Island pumping station can pump 120 megalitres per day in peak conditions.
Pumping from the river can only be done when certain conditions are met. Some of the conditions we take into account are:
River flow To protect the natural environment, including fish, platypus and plants, we don’t pump water when the river flow slows below a certain level.
Nutrient levels High nutrient levels can lead to algae growth, and this is a particular risk after rainfall due to runoff. We don’t pump when levels are high.
Turbidity This refers to how murky the water is. High turbidity means the water can contain pathogens, so we don’t pump water when this is the case.
These are some of the ways we ensure our area has safe, clean water:
Learn more about how we maintain a high quality water supply for our communities.
If you require a water pressure test, disinfection and/or interconnection of new water mains as part of a development site please complete our application form.
A water mains pressure test can also be requested if required for fire protection systems such as fire hoses and sprinklers.
Contact our team to assist with any enquiries you have relating to your application.
Phone (02) 6581 8111 or email council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au