Sydney's Warragamba Dam falls to lowest level in 15 years

Sydney's Warragamba Dam has fallen to its lowest level in 15 years after receiving next to no rain over the past week.

Just 0.1mm fell over the Warragamba Catchment in the last seven days, seeing the dam drop to another 0.4 per cent.

The dam, which provides most of Sydney's drinking water, is currently sitting at 43.9 per cent capacity – a level not seen since 2004, during the heart of the Millennium Drought.

That same year, Warragamba Dam reached its lowest level ever recorded, dipping to 38.8 per cent capacity in December.

Warragamba Dam levels have dropped by almost three per cent in just the past six weeks, amid widespread drought and deadly bushfires across much of the state.

The 15-year record comes just two weeks after water restrictions were upgraded to Level 2 for Sydney and the surrounding areas, banning the use of hoses outside in a move expected to save 78.5 gigalitres of water each year.

Anyone caught breaching the tough new rules around water usage will face hefty fines of up to $220 for individuals and $550 for businesses.

Even tougher water restrictions could be just months away, with the NSW Government currently working to determine the severity of Level 3 limits.