Mayor Eric Adams, NYC DEP issue citywide drought watch, urge residents to start conserving water
NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the Department of Environmental Protection issued a citywide drought watch on Saturday amid a recent lack of rainfall.
As part of the drought watch, Adams is asking city agencies to update water conservation plans in preparation to use them. The mayor is also asking city residents to conserve as much water as possible.
"New Yorkers come together in times of crisis, and right now, amidst the dryest spell in recent memory, we need New Yorkers to do just that and conserve as much water as possible," Adams said.
The drought watch comes after the city experienced a historically dry October. ABC 7 New York's AccuWeather team tracked the 29-day dry stretch, which is now the second longest streak in city records.
According to the New York City Mayor's Office, conservation efforts will help protect stored water in city reservoirs and reduce the threat of a serious shortage.
"October was the driest October on record, which has resulted in minimal inflow to replenish the reservoirs," said Rohit Aggarwala, commissioner for the NYC DEP. "Because of this, a drought watch has been declared, and we must now take immediate action. All of us who rely on the city's water supply, including 8.3 million consumers in the city and another 1.5 million upstate, must make concerted efforts to conserve water."
In the meantime, the city has offered some tips for New Yorkers to help them conserve water:
- 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 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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- 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.
You can find more resources on the NYC DEP's Water Savings Tips website.
A drought watch is the first of three levels of water conservation declarations that the city can activate. If necessary, the city may declare a drought warning or even a drought emergency, which would escalate the actions taken to conserve water.
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