The Gunning water supply had been contaminated by sheep manure and was unfit for drinking, despite the addition of a large amount of chlorine.

Removing the smell of manure was also a problem for residents after taking a bath or shower, causing people to resort to using large amounts of baby powder.

"The whole town smells of sheep manure, and there is nothing we can do about it," then-Gunning Shire clerk Mr Albert Stringer said.

The problem began when a storm washed the manure from surrounding paddocks into the Lachlan River.

Shire engineer Mr Jerry Bliss said the drought had left the paddocks bare of grass, which meant there was nothing to prevent it from happening.

"All you could do is block your nose while you have a shower," he said.

Mr Bliss said people with rainwater in their tanks were sharing it for use as drinking water but it was not even possible to have a soda water or lemon squash at the pub.

See https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116371732

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