Stage one water restrictions are just six weeks away and Shoalhaven Water is preparing to turn off the pumps in the next 48 hours.

That’s the advice from director of Shoalhaven Water, Carmel Krogh.

Ms Krogh confirmed that with no rain on the horizen the Shoalhaven is quickly heading toward its first restriction on water since February, 2010.

“Our main (water) supply is from the Bamarang Water Treatment Plant and Burrier River. However, because there are rules relating to water storage plants and what we can extract and when we can extract ... when river flows are low we have no choice but to stop pumping,” she said.

“The flows in the Shoalhaven River are at a level where Shoalhaven Water may be ceasing to pump in the next few days. If levels are reached (we) will issue a notification about the cessation of pumping at that time.”

And if the dry spell continues – as predicted – Ms Krogh says the Shoalhaven will be heading into water restrictions by November.

The region's main water supply comes from the Shoalhaven River at Burrier, west of Nowra, where there is a water pump station.

"We pump from the river to Bamarang Dam, our main store, which supplies the Shoalhaven to the west and south. But our main supply is from the Porters Creek Dam west of Lake Conjola high in the plateau (which moves) from gravity to the water treatment plant at Milton,” Ms Krogh said.

“When it gets to 90 mega litres per day we have to stop pumping because Bamerang is an off-creek storage dam … so it has very little or no catchment. It’s not designed to be filled from a catchment so when we stop pumping it will draw that water down.”

Ms Krogh likened the process to “topping up a bucket that is full from a tap".

“In good times we keep it full but we are always pumping out of it,” she said.

“When we stop pumping that level will keep drawing down and we will need to implement stage one water restrictions.”

There are about four levels of water restrictions. However the Shoalhaven has, so far, been able to avoid those tougher limitations.

“We have come close (to stage one water restrictions) a few times (since February, 2010). But if we don't have decent rainfall and increased river flow soon stage one water restrictions will be in place in six weeks,” Ms Krogh said.

However, if it rains within the next six weeks the restrictions will not go ahead.

It's Ms Krogh's job to look at the probability of rain, which she describes as currently “a bit average”.

“There is no clear indication one way or the other,” she said.

“The predictions are for a dry spring and summer.”

Stage one water restrictions are fairly minor in terms of impact with bans on fixed sprinklers and unattended hoses, and on the use of water on paved areas.

“In many ways it’s really what we hope people are doing anyway," she said.

“I think habits have changed. People aren't watering their lawns as they did 20 years ago. People are more responsible about their gardens and mulching it to retain water – not just having their sprinklers going all the time.”