Council last night resolved to send the town to high restrictions early, despite the weir being close to full.

In a motion Mayor Carol Sparks told councilors that level three restrictions at the town would normally be imposed when the level of the weir falls 800mm below top water level.

The motion said "having regard to community concerns in terms of maximising the long term availability of the water resource," council would jump early.

Deepwater's weir is currently 510mm below top water level.

It means the Glen Innes Severn shire will no longer sell water for use in the Bolivia Hill road works. The project had trucked between 100 and 120 kilolitres of water a month; the town of Glen Innes consumes about 2000 kilolitres a day.

Mayor Sparks said she had been contacted by residents of Deepwater concerned about the water use and asking for higher levels of water restriction.

Councilor Steve Toms said he was concerned at the high rates of water use in Glen Innes, though he acknowledged some was being carted for use by farmers

"I just think there needs to be a higher level of awareness of that fact that if this drought continues that water is not infinite," he said.

Deepwater reached level two restrictions earlier this year but rain in late March filled up the town dam and restrictions were cancelled. Level one restrictions were reimposed on May 29 and then escalated to level two in July, but then dropped in August.

Restrictions limit the use of sprinklers and hoses, which are banned for domestic garden watering. Buckets may be used for up to two hours per day.

The motion was passed unanimously, and Deepwater will go to level three restrictions on October 1.

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