After months of dry conditions, New Yorkers can breathe easier as city officials on Friday lifted the drought watch after the city's reservoir system was replenished.
Mayor Eric Adams lauded New Yorkers for heeding the warnings and conserving water, according to a press release.
“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 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 city issued the drought watch on Nov. 2, 2024 before upgrading to a warning on Nov.18, 2024 in response to the driest spell in recorded history. However, as conditions improved in late December, the city downgraded the warning before calling it off.
New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala highlighted the city’s adaptive water management strategies, which included temporarily halting the $2 billion Delaware Aqueduct repair project.
“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 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.”
A combination of above-average precipitation in November and December and melting snowpack boosted reservoir levels across the Catskills and Hudson Valley. Rainfall in the watershed was 20% higher than average during the final two months of the year.
New Yorkers helped reduce daily water demand below 1 billion gallons in the winter months — a significant drop from the 1.5 billion gallons used daily in the 1970s.
New York City’s vast water infrastructure, spanning 7,000 miles of mains, tunnels and aqueducts, supplied high-quality drinking water to nearly 10 million residents throughout the drought. The system, fed by a watershed more than 125 miles away, proved resilient even under historic dry conditions.
DEP plans to resume the paused Delaware Aqueduct repair project in the fall of 2025, ensuring the long-term health of the water system.
The city’s focus on conservation has led to a 35% reduction in average daily water usage since the 1970s, despite a population increase of over 1 million. Initiatives like systemwide leak detection, advanced metering and public awareness campaigns have helped New Yorkers use water more efficiently.
