Hunter Water welcomed the rainfall across the Lower Hunter, but stated that 'given the very dry and warm conditions experienced, tit is unlikely to have a significant and lasting impact on the area's dams, which are at their lowest levels in more than two decades.'

Hunter Water's Executive Drought Lead Darren Cleary said the community should continue to conserve water wherever possible in preparation for water restrictions on 16 September.

"We are facing a severe drought in NSW and are seeing water storages across the state fall quicker than they did during the Millennium Drought," he said.

"We are, however, cautiously optimistic about its potential impact on our dams given how dry it has been. It may help wet the catchment areas, but we would need more follow-up rain to produce enough stream flow to significantly boost our dam levels."

Parts of Lake Macquarie copped almost 200 millimetres of rain late last week. Swansea received 194mm of rain, Nobbys and Williamtown 88mm and Maitland 47mm.

Considerably more rain fell near the water stores at Grahamstown Dam, Tomago and Anna Bay, but a Hunter Water spokesperson said on Sunday that the Lower Hunter was still on track for level-one water restrictions from September 16.

The Lower Hunter water stores were at 64.8 per cent capacity on Wednesday, their lowest level in more than two decades after a long period of warm, dry conditions.

For more information on Level 1 water restrictions and what it means visit hunterwater.com.au/restrictions.