New York City Mayor Eric Adams asked residents to be vigilant about water usage, as the city is now under a drought watch after a dry-spell that is depleting upstate reservoirs.
The city saw a historically dry October and recorded the second largest dry streak dating back to 1869, the mayor said on Monday at his regular weekly press conference.
Rohit Aggarwala, the commissioner of the city Department of Environmental Protection, said the city’s reservoirs in downstate New York, are below the two-thirds mark. With forecasts that suggest drier-than-average conditions over the next two to three months, the city needs to start conserving water, he added.
“We need a lot of rain, not just a little,” he said, adding that the reservoirs need another six inches of rain.
Besides using less water, say when brushing your teeth, one of the biggest sources of water waste is a leaking toilet, Aggarwala said.
“And people do not understand how much water a running toilet can actually consume, you don't think about it, but it is hundreds of gallons in a week or two,” he said. “And so as soon as you think there's a toilet that needs addressing, please get that fixed, it'll save you money on your water bill, it'll also save the city the water that we need.”
The last time the city was under a drought emergency was in 2001 to 2003, according to Zachary Iscol, the commissioner of the city Department of Emergency Management.
Meanwhile, when asked for his predictions about the outcome of Tuesday’s elections, the mayor said what was most important was for residents to get out to vote.
“My prediction is that New York is going to get out and vote,” he said. “And I just want to encourage people, don't be on the sideline and, you know, say, I wish I would have. Name of the game, get out and vote. Exercise our democracy.”
The mayor defended Governor Kathy Hochul, who recently told MSNBC that any New Yorker who votes for a Republican candidate is anti-women and anti-American.
“And I don't think that she's saying anything or doing anything that she means to be harmful in any way. I find her to be a very respectable leader,” the mayor said, while cautioning that it is best to show decorum during an emotional election period.
Following two civilian fatalities in the past week during a police chase in Queens and in Manhattan, Adams was questioned about the city's policing strategy on how it chases suspects. He said he trusts the decision of the supervisor making the call on the ground.
No one wants an innocent person being hit or killed or seriously injured based on a chase, he said. But he assured that supervisors are weighing a lot of information to decide whether or not to approve and continue a chase.
“Now, you may come across a vehicle. This plate came across. This person is wanted for a shooting. This person is wanted for eight robberies. Now you have to make that determination, ‘Hey, are we going to let this guy go?’ Or are we going to reasonably pursue them and use other methods?” he said.
On Friday, Manhattan Federal Court Judge Dale Ho ruled that Adams’ corruption trial will begin on April 21, a little over two months before he faces multiple challengers in the Democratic mayoral primary.
When asked how he would campaign for the primary while he was in court, Adams only noted that his lawyer had requested a March trial date, not April.
