Residents responded with cutting comments about the length of time it is taking for authorities to solve the town's water woes.

As expected during the current heatwave conditions, with a run of 10 days above 40 degree days, water use has spiked across the town despite this third year of restrictions.

Power and Water can only remove PFAS chemicals from a small portion of their water supplies, relying more heavily as it does during the build up months on contaminated bore supplies.

Work has started on a larger water treatment plant for Katherine, paid for by the Defence Department, but it is not now expected to be operational until next year.

"Still waiting...A year on meanwhile many millions was given to develop Tindal last year and we are still on restrictions... priorities?" one resident posted on Power and Water's post last night.

"What about the obvious neglect to Katherine!

"No apology for contaminating the town the river the plants and wildlife just ignore what they did...poisonous foam and no monitoring for many many years so why are we being treated with such disregard? Local for 48 years and feel let down big time PATHETIC!"

There were other posts also questioning the long delay in responding to Katherine's water emergency.

The water restrictions were introduced by Health Minister Natasha Fyles in Katherine in August 2017 as a "temporary measure".

Katherine is believed to still be the only town in Australia on water restrictions because of PFAS contamination.

The new plant, capable of removing PFAS from all of the town's drinking water, is being paid for by Defence as the contamination is still leaking from the Tindal RAAF Base.

Katherine Times has this week been attempting to learn whether water restrictions would be immediately lifted once that new plant is on line.

Power and Water said: "With the extreme heat over the past week, water use has increased to over 10 ML per day, the amount we can treat to ensure safe drinking water for the community.

"We understand why use is up, however we need the community to help keep water use down by following the Compulsory Water Conservation Measures and being vigilant about water use."

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