Last Drought Warning Issued in 2002
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala today elevated the citywide drought watch to a drought warning and paused the final phase of DEP’s largest ever infrastructure repair project — the $2 billion Delaware Aqueduct Repair Project — amid a historic and continued precipitation shortage. As such, Mayor Adams ordered city agencies to implement a range of drought protocols to conserve water and reminded New Yorkers to continue to do their part in saving water wherever possible. Pausing the repair project will allow the city to reopen the aqueduct soon, restarting the flow of water from four additional reservoirs. Conserving water will slow the depletion rate of the stored water in city reservoirs and can potentially postpone or eliminate the threat of a serious shortage. Mayor Adams and Commissioner Aggarwala first issued a drought watch back on November 2.
“As our city and watershed continues to experience significant precipitation shortages, today, I’m upgrading our drought watch to a drought warning, pausing our Delaware Aqueduct repair project, and ordering our agencies to immediately implement water saving measures,” said Mayor Adams. “Our city vehicles may look a bit dirtier, and our subways may look a bit dustier, but it’s what we have to do to delay or stave off a more serious drought emergency. We need New Yorkers to continue to save water too, so we can water our parks and fill our pools this coming summer. New Yorkers always look out for each other. We are resilient and we will get through this together.”
“Recent unseasonably warm weather and lack of precipitation have led to dry conditions for many counties in New York, resulting in Hudson Valley and New York City area counties being elevated to drought warning status and a statewide drought watch,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. “Across the state, local water restrictions and educating New Yorkers about how to help conserve water resources are crucial steps to help prevent a more severe shortage until conditions improve.”
“We have emphasized the importance of treating the drought watch with seriousness and encouraging all New Yorkers to conserve water whenever possible. As we enter the warning level, the need for vigilance and conservation becomes even more crucial,” said Chief of Staff and Extreme Weather Coordinator Camille Joseph Varlack. “City agencies will now begin to implement their respective drought protocols and water conservation measures. As we continue to monitor this situation, we ask all New Yorkers to double down on their efforts to conserve water.”
“The fires that have burned from Brooklyn to the Bronx are a stark reminder that extreme weather knows no boundaries — but neither do New Yorkers. Time after time, New Yorkers step up to help each other and our city, and today’s drought conditions are no different. By taking water-savings steps now, like shorter showers, we are protecting our city in the most fundamental way,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “For the city's part, we are putting immediate water-saving measures into effect across city operations and made the difficult but necessary decision to pause our Delaware Aqueduct Repair Project.”
“The ongoing and historic lack of rainfall, both in the city and in the upstate watershed where our reservoirs are located, has become more critical,” said New York City Chief Climate Officer and DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “Our city agencies are leading by example in finding innovative ways to save water every day. Now we need the public to do the same so that we can avoid banning things like watering lawns and filling up swimming this spring.”
“Our city is facing an unprecedented and historic drought, and New York City Emergency Management is supporting City Hall and the Department of Environmental Protection in mobilizing a strong response among our partners and agencies,” said New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “With the drought watch now elevated to a warning, city agencies are activating enhanced drought protocols and conservation measures, and we urgently need every New Yorker to join these efforts. By making simple but impactful changes, such as taking shorter showers, running dishwashers and laundry machines only with full loads, and spreading the message about water conservation, you can play a vital role in protecting our city’s essential water supply. We’re calling on all residents and businesses to redouble their conservation efforts and help safeguard our water resources during this critical period.”
Given the lack of precipitation forecast in the coming weeks, DEP will halt repairs currently underway to the Delaware Aqueduct, an 86-mile pipeline that delivers half of the city’s water supply from the Catskill Mountains. The final phase of the $2 billion repair project, which is DEP’s largest-ever infrastructure project, would have prevented 35 million gallons of drinking water from leaking into the ground in upstate New York every day by connecting a 2.5-mile bypass tunnel near Newburgh, where the leak is occurring. In order to initiate that final phase, the city stopped the flow of water from the four reservoirs that feed into the Delaware Aqueduct. However, the lack of rain upstate has meant that water reserves across all reservoirs are not where they need to be to complete the project in the spring. In the coming days, the city will begin the process of reopening the aqueduct to resume the flow of water from those reservoirs to New York City. DEP will work to restart the project next year to ensure that the Delaware Aqueduct — the world’s longest tunnel of any kind — continues to bring New Yorkers the best drinking water in the world for generations to come.
A drought warning is the second of three levels of water conservation declarations from the city. As conditions evolve, the city may declare a drought emergency, which involves escalating requirements on government agencies and New Yorkers to reduce water usage.
Stages of drought response in New York City. Credit: City Hall
City and state agency water-saving measures include:
- The New York City Department of Sanitation is suspending street flushing activities and reducing vehicle washing.
- The New York City Police Department and Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) are assisting in closing illegally opened hydrants and reducing vehicle washing.
- The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) is limiting water use for fountains and golf courses and no longer providing make-up water for artificial ponds and lakes unless they are habitats for fish or other wildlife.
- The New York City Housing Authority and New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development are requesting plumbing leak surveys and appropriate repair work, seeking to install low-flow plumbing fixtures wherever possible and restricting lawn watering.
- New York City Public Schools is initiating water conservation awareness programming for students.
- The New York City Department of City Administrative Services (DCAS) is conducting leak survey and leak repair activities where necessary at city facilities and is no longer washing the exteriors of city buildings.
- The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is communicating with food service establishments about reductions of water use.
- The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is reducing fleet washing.
“With a drought warning now in place, we are once again urging New Yorkers do their part, conserve water, and take the necessary steps to reduce the chances of a brush fire occurring during this extraordinarily dry period,” said FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker. “Remarkably dry conditions in October and so far in November have resulted in a historic amount of brush fires over the last two weeks, and we need the public to remain vigilant and conserve water so that we can continue to effectively respond to fires when they occur. We thank all New Yorkers who have seen smoke and called 911, and we urge the public to do the same.”
“Our greatest strength as a school system lies in our community and our collective commitment to creating a better New York for our kids. At New York City Public Schools, we are actively contributing to water-saving efforts by raising awareness among students, families, and staff about the critical importance of water conservation and the impacts of a drought in our city,” said New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. “I commend our partners across various agencies who are stepping up and doing their part for all New Yorkers.”
“As custodians of our city’s greenspaces, we know how important it is to preserve our natural resources. We’re doing our part to help our city navigate this challenge while keeping our parks and public spaces healthy and welcoming for all,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “We implore all New Yorkers to be mindful of their behavior in our greenspaces and refrain from barbecuing and grilling. And remember smoking of any kind is never allowed in our parks.”
“As our city enters a drought warning — a time for us all to take stock of our water usage — we're proud to join our sister agencies in stepping up to conserve water,” said DCAS Commissioner Louis A. Molina. “At DCAS, we'll be scaling back our facility exterior washing and conducting a comprehensive leak survey of our buildings to make sure no water is being wasted. We urge New Yorkers to join in and do their part as we collectively come together to save water.”
“The causes of climate change — and subsequently the current drought we are experiencing — extend far beyond the borders of New York City. But we are not powerless,” said DOHMH Acting Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. “There is much we can do here on the local level to mitigate its effects on resources such as water. All New Yorkers can contribute to conservation efforts so that we are the healthiest and most resilient city we can be.”
As part of the initial drought watch, DEP has already expanded its leak detection, leak repair, and hydrant surveillance programs.
Mayor Adams, today, also reminded all New Yorkers to do their part to conserve water. Some simple tips include:
- Report open fire hydrants and street leaks to 311. An open hydrant can release more than 1,000 gallons per minute, which wastes 1.4 million gallons of drinking water in a 24-hour cycle.
- Don't flush the toilet unnecessarily. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), toilets are by far the main source of water use in a home, accounting for nearly 30 percent of an average home's indoor water consumption. Each flush can use 1.6 gallons, with older models using as much as 6 gallons.
- Take shorter showers, saving five to seven gallons a minute. When taking a bath, fill the tub only halfway and save 10 to 15 gallons.
- Don't run the tap while shaving, washing hands, or brushing teeth. Faucets use two to three gallons per minute.
- Fix leaks. A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year, according to the EPA.
- Run the dishwasher and washing machine only when full. Use short cycles if available. Turn off the water while washing dishes.
- Install water-saving fixtures, including low-flow toilets and showerheads, as well as faucet aerators.
- Sweep driveways and sidewalks clean rather than washing them down with a hose.
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, which provides high-quality drinking water each day to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.3 million in New York City. 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.
“Water is one of our most precious resources, and it has never been more clear with today’s drought warning,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “Climate change caused an exceptionally warm fall, leading to our reservoir system being at only 63% capacity. As New Yorkers always do in a crisis, we are coming together to face this challenge, cutting our water usage however we can. Importantly, that includes pausing the Delaware Aqueduct Repair Project, in order to deliver water from four additional reservoirs. New York is now among 48 states experiencing drought conditions due to climate change, showing we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions to give our children the sustainable future they deserve.”
