Forbes Floods 2022: Waist-deep water throughout Forbes businesses

The team at Spice's, on Dowling Street near Lake Forbes, hoped they'd never see the likes of 1990 flooding through the business again after being spared in more recent floods.

But David Todd says when they looked at the predicted river heights last week, they got busy preparing, and with good reason.

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"All the cars, bikes, mowers had been shifted to higher ground and we lifted everything else above desk height," he said.

"The last one that came through Spice's was in 1990, in 2016 it didn't get in.

"Every flood's different."

When he went in to check on the premises on Saturday, he found water three-foot deep through the workshop at the back and two-foot deep through the showroom at the front.

Their attempts to wrap and sandbag the offices, which are carpeted, proved futile against the height of this flood.

As of Sunday morning, the water looked to have dropped about a foot, and he's hopeful the peak is over.

The team now faces the prospect of the clean-up before they can open their doors to customers and try to get back on their feet.

"Tomorrow we'll assess to see if it's dry enough to start hosing out," Mr Todd said.

"We'll let it get down then in we'll go."

Forbes' schools remain non-operational, with hundreds of residents isolated by floodwaters and residents needing to boil drinking and cooking water.

But as floodwaters recede local pharmacies have advised they can return and reopen.

Flannery's Pharmacy advised that both their Rankin Street pharmacy and Life Pharmacy in the Bernardi's complex will resume normal operations from 8.30am on Monday, November 7.

The central business district remains cut off from the north side of town with floodwaters through Lawler Street, essential staff are being transported by Rural Fire Service tankers.

But Oxford Street has remained open giving those on the South side of Forbes vital access through to the central business district.

Those on the north side can get to Parkes by road.

Forbes High School, Forbes North Public School and St Laurence's School have all advised they are non-operational Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Students and staff are to stay at home.

Red Bend Catholic College remains cut off with floodwaters over College Road but the school advised as of Sunday the levee banks are holding the water out.

"As such the College will remain closed until advised by the State Emergency Services," they advise on their Facebook page.

"It is unknown at this stage when the College is likely to reopen. It is likely that the College will be closed for the remainder of this week."

Flood waters have entered the grounds of Forbes Public School, where students filled sandbags from the school sandpits on Thursday. They've advised through social media their gates will be closed this week.

The State Emergency Service's early aerial assessments indicate that they're one of possibly hundreds of homes and businesses facing a clean up in the days ahead.

Support including Australian Defence Force personnel are here to help, and the SES is urging anyone with water over the floor to contact them on 132 500 so they can plan the clean up.