STRICTER water restrictions could come into effect within weeks as Townsville’s main water supply continues to dry up.

The Ross Dam has dropped another 3 per cent since water restrictions came into force on August 25, sitting at 36 per cent yesterday.

Townsville Water and Waste Committee chairman Ray Gartrell said council was monitoring water consumption closely and assessing the situation weekly.

“At this stage we could be looking at going to Level 2 restrictions by late October, into November,” Cr Gartrell said.

Prior to water restrictions coming into effect, council figures revealed the city’s water consumption in 2014-15 was 75 per cent higher than 2010-11, when the last significant wet season was recorded.

Cr Gartrell said there was a drop in usage shortly after restrictions were introduced but consumption had begun to creep up again. He said Townsville Water would be ramping up measures to raise awareness and conducting patrols

“Council is already issuing warnings. People who continually flout the rules run the risk of fines,” he said.

Existing water restriction signs in high-profile places such as Fulham Rd and Charters Towers Rd will soon be updated and new signs will be placed in local parks.

Residents are currently permitted to use sprinklers between 5-7am and 6-8pm two days a week, with the odds and evens system applying.

Under Level 2 water restrictions, sprinklers will only be permitted between 6pm and 8pm on allocated days.

Pumping from the Burdekin Dam will commence at Level 4 when the dam reaches 10 per cent.

But the big dry shows no signs of easing, with predictions El Nino conditions could worsen over coming months.

On Wednesday, the Bureau of Meteorology warned the El Nino continues to strengthen with climate models suggesting it could be even more substantial than the major drought of 1997-98.

In Townsville alone, just 257mm has fallen since the start of the year, well below the average of 931mm.

It comes as the region’s firefighters battled another substantial fire on Mount Stuart yesterday, with humidity levels falling to just 6 per cent. A high fire danger is expected today.