It's essential for our survival in many ways, it's also essential for the survival of flora and fauna the world over.

It's not just survival though, water has a place in religious ceremonies, maintaining good hygiene, growing our food and mining resources among other things.

Clean drinking water is what we all need but unfortunately it's not in great supply, which means every drop of drinkable water dropped means it's wasted.

The hotter and drier conditions we are living through mean wastage isn't something we can afford.

The current drought means for many towns water restrictions have become part of daily life.

In the meantime, the City of Griffith is enjoying their full allocation of water to supply the city's needs. It's the equivalent of having plenty to eat while others starve.

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Tamworth is on level five water restrictions, Dubbo is on level four and Sydney is on level two.

The city of Orange is examining level six restrictions, while towns and cities further north prepare for what happens when their storages run dry which may only be months away for some.

Last week the nearby Goldenfields County Council which delivers water to Barellan, Narrandera, Temora, Cootamundra and West Wyalong, put all their customers on level one water restrictions.

For Goldenfields customers it means no use of hand-held hoses, no watering of gardens between 10am and 5pm and no hosing down the pavement between 10am and 5pm.

It may only be level one but those restrictions are hardly "punishment" for living in the city as our mayor John Dal Broi described water restrictions when asked by The Area News.

In NSW, authorities which control water like Griffith City Council can define what water restrictions are.

At the moment council is offering free shower timers, running an education campaign and has said sporting fields won't be watered during the middle of the day unless necessary.

There's much more they can do to show some leadership in Griffith, and solidarity with communities who are will go without water.