Residents in the flood-ravaged Hawkesbury say they are living like "caged animals" after being left with limited access to clean drinking water.
Residents in the small town of Lower Macdonald have to rely on their own tank water that was largely contaminated by floods in early July.
Three months on, damaged infrastructure has left some people — who live just 80 kilometres north-west of Sydney — showering in dirty tank water.
"It's when you have one of those nightmares and there's [a] blank wall that's stopping you from getting to the other side. That's what that is," resident Nicole Wastle said.
"There's this wall that's just stopping us all from moving on and we're living like caged animals."
Their 'cage' is the main access to Lower Macdonald — Settlers Road and the Thomas James Bridge, which the local council says is the oldest in use bridge in mainland Australia.
Both were damaged when rain and flooding swept through the region, effectively isolating the community during the flood.
Since then, Hawkesbury City Council has reopened one lane of the road and bridge with a five-tonne weight limit, meaning heavy vehicles carrying building materials or water face a detour via St Albans that's up to 40 kilometres.
The bridge can also be closed after prolonged periods of wet weather, when the risk of ground movement is heightened.
Ms Wastle, whose family of four are still living in temporary accommodation provided by their insurance company, says the state of the road means their house is yet to be properly decontaminated.
"Our house here, as you see it, is cleaned as such, but it's cleaned with dirty water," she said.
"We can't get fresh water in unless we go around the long way through St Albans … and even if we can get water around, we're paying top dollar for delivery."
Her neighbours face similar dilemmas.
Wendy Galvin moved back into her home about four weeks after the flood.
While she's relying on bottled water for cooking and brushing her teeth, she says she is showering in contaminated tank water.
"We haven't been sick. Whether that's just luck or good management I'm not sure, but that's how it is at the moment," she said.
Just down the road, Sven Johannsen has installed a new water tank at his two-storey riverfront home.
Until the tank is filled with rainwater, he says he has to drive two hours each week to collect pallets of clean drinking water.
"For us to live where we live … and to overcome the challenge of having fresh water — that's the price we have to pay," he said.
In a statement, the council's director of Infrastructure Services, Will Barton, said repairs to the heritage-protected Thomas James Bridge was a complex engineering project.
Due to its age and isolated location, repairs are expected to be completed some time in the second half of 2023, he said.
Several residents say this time frame is putting lives at risk.
"What if someone gets sick? What if someone has a heart attack? Car accidents — how are we meant to get emergency services through these roads, when they can be shut at any time?" Ms Wastle said.
"If someone's unwell that could be quite devastating," Ms Galvin added.
Mr Barton said council continued to advocate both the state and federal government to improve flood resilience in the Hawkesbury.
"However, as a significant portion of the Hawkesbury LGA [Local Government Area] is in a high flood risk zone, there will always be a risk of significant flooding to our community," he said.
Mayor Sarah McMahon has visited the Lower Macdonald and says she is working to establish a Community Advisory Group for the rebuild, to ensure locals "have a voice throughout this process."
