New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala announced the lifting of the city’s drought watch. Strategic decision-making by DEP, conservation efforts by New Yorkers, and favorable weather conditions have together contributed to the replenishment of the city's reservoir system — ensuring a stable water supply for millions of residents and eliminating the risk of a water shortage.
“Thanks to everyday New Yorkers stepping up to conserve water, and above-average precipitation over the last two months, we are now able to safely lift the drought warning for our city,” said Mayor Adams. “Again, our city has shown its resiliency and ability to come together during difficult times. By working together and heeding officials’ advice, we were able to avoid a much more serious drought emergency. The work of New Yorkers in conserving water these past two months has paid off, and now we can end this historic drought.”
“The lifting of the drought watch underscores the critical role of DEP’s strategic planning and adaptive management of New York City’s critical water resources,” said Commissioner Aggarwala. “I’m grateful to our fellow city agencies for their partnership and to all New Yorkers for their conservation efforts, which helped us save water. Let’s continue to use water wisely to ensure the resilience and reliability of the city’s water supply system.”
“Recent precipitation and the vigilance of New Yorkers who heeded calls to conserve water resources have alleviated dry conditions across the state,” said New York state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar. “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, DEC experts will continue to monitor conditions and work with New York City officials and localities across the state to identify any necessary steps and actions needed to help prevent additional shortages.”
Mayor Adams and Commissioner Aggarwala first issued a drought watch on November 2 during the driest spell in the city’s recorded history. The city elevated the drought watch to a drought warning on November 18 as the historic lack of precipitation led to unprecedented challenges, including wildfires within the city and the watershed. In response, DEP implemented extraordinary measures to safeguard the city’s water supply, including temporarily pausing the $2 billion Delaware Aqueduct repair project. This critical step — along with significant upstate rainfall and enhanced water supply flexibility — enabled the city to meet its water needs. By December 16, improved conditions allowed the warning to be downgraded back to a drought watch.
November and December saw abundant precipitation levels 20 percent above average in the watershed, according to rainfall data. This recent rainfall, coupled with melting snowpack, has significantly boosted reservoir levels in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley.
New York City’s vast water supply — which includes three separate reservoir systems — is resilient by design and is capable of operating effectively even during dry conditions. Pausing the Delaware Aqueduct repair project and reopening the water tunnel — the world’s longest tunnel of any kind — allowed DEP to optimize water flow while also protecting the long-term health of the water supply. DEP is optimistic that work will resume on this critical repair in the fall of 2025. Even during the drought watch and warning, DEP reaffirmed its commitment to delivering high-quality drinking water to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.3 million in New York City.
New York City has been successful in conserving water for decades. The city's average daily water demand has decreased by approximately 35 percent over the past several decades, even as the city's population has grown by more than 1 million people. During its peak, in 1979, the city's average water usage was 1.5 billion gallons of water a day. Thanks to improved management strategies — systemwide leak detection and repairs, replacing old meters with automated meter readers, and providing an online platform for customers to track and monitor water usage and quickly detect leaks in their buildings — the city now uses just 1.1 billion gallons a day on average, and under 1 billion gallons during the winter months.
DEP manages the nation's largest municipal water supply system. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels, and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs and communities in four upstate counties.
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