In New York, we typically don’t think about droughts. When we hear about extreme water shortages, the first thing that usually comes to mind are extremely dry states like California or Arizona. However, things have been different. For the first time in over two decades, New York City has been under a drought warning due to dangerously low reservoir levels. The fall months where a moderate amount of rain is expected has left us dry and desperately needing more rain, with Central Park only receiving a little over 1.5 inches of rain in September and October, making it among the driest on record. To make matters worse, this drought is fueling an alarming rise in wildfires, with hundreds of blazes breaking out in green spaces from Brooklyn to upper Manhattan to New Jersey.
New York is often considered a water-rich city. Our drinking water comes from a vast network of reservoirs in the Catskill and Delaware watersheds that provides tap water for nearly nine million residents. Now, climate change is bringing us extreme levels of danger with unprecedented dry levels in our reservoirs.
Recognizing the severity of the situation, several city agencies, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Fire, Sanitation, and Police Departments, have reduced how often they wash vehicles. Mayor Adams acknowledged that city-owned vehicles and subway stations are going to be dirtier but these reductions are necessary to prevent a serious drought. The New York City Housing Authority is also taking action by identifying and fixing leaks, replacing outdated plumbing fixtures with water-efficient models and reducing lawn watering across its properties. Additionally, the city has chosen to pause the $2 billion project to repair a leak beneath the Delaware Aqueduct, which supplies roughly half of New York City’s water. The pause allows the city to access four additional reservoirs in the Catskill region that had been cut off due to the aqueduct closure.
Although the city is implementing powerful solutions, a large-scale solution that is being prevented is letting billions of gallons of rainwater go to waste. Instead of capturing excess rainfall, stormwater is mostly funneled into sewers and then flushed out into the harbor. This is a missed opportunity, especially when we could be using that water to recharge our reservoirs and prepare for drier months. The city should increase more permeable surfaces because they have small openings that allow water to pass through and replenish our underground aquifers. Many cities, such as Los Angeles, have already begun converting impermeable surfaces to permeable. Now that our city is aware of the dangers, we should be looking to do the same.
There have been instances where the city has used AI, such as FloodNet, to manage floods by having a series of flood sensors around the city. Because of this, our city can also implement a technology that will improve water management and conservation. We could utilize AI-powered monitoring systems to detect excessive water use and identify leaks in buildings.
It’s not just the city that needs to take action: we have to play our own part. Mayor Eric Adams has urged New Yorkers to voluntarily cut down on their water use, but many still don’t realize how small changes can add up. The average person in NYC uses 82 gallons of water per day, which is more than double the amount used in some European countries. There are many ways for us to lower our water supply such as shortening showers, fixing leaks and turning off taps while brushing teeth. One of the biggest sources of unnecessary water use is flushing toilets. As unglamorous as it sounds, Mayor Adams suggested that residents consider the “if it’s yellow, let it mellow” approach. This includes floss, tissues or anything that can easily be thrown in the trash. Another problem is old toilets can use up to six gallons per flush, essentially wasting water on something that may not be necessary. Instead, use low-flow toilets, which only use 1.28 gallons per flush. Additionally, outdoor water should be prioritized in the morning to reduce evaporation by 40% or hosing down sidewalks. Simple solutions like using a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and letting grass go dormant instead of watering it excessively can help ease the strain on our water supply. These may seem insignificant but when multiplied across millions of residents, every single one of these habits add up.
Water scarcity is becoming a reality. Although droughts aren’t considered as dangerous as a flood due to its slow effects, it lasts longer than any other natural disasters. The best way to stop this is by preventing it in the first place. The city has its own part to play and so do us. The choices we make will determine if we will still be able to have access to clean and abundant water.
This article brings up such an overlooked issue. As someone who’s lived in the city for 25+ years, I’ve never seen such a dry fall. Climate change is clearly catching up with us, so we NEED to normalize those habits like reusing water or skipping a flush here and there.
This should be required reading. People don’t take droughts seriously until it’s too late. The city needs a better communication campaign to let people know how close we are to crisis.
THIS. This is the main issue because not enough people know about it. I asked friends and family and they look at me as if I’m crazy but I actually care about the city
Loved the point about permeable surfaces. NYC’s built environment is way too concrete-heavy.
that’s what I’m thinking cuz LA style rainwater capture is very nice.
also increasing in green infrastructure would be v helpful
So we’re letting billions of gallons of rainwater go down the drain AND pausing a repair project that’s supposed to fix a major leak in our water supply????
It’s just temporary so we don’t actually run out of water. The project will resume so don’t worry
This is such an important thing we have to read about because we oftentimes forget that water is a finite resource, even in places like NYC.
Agree! I’m sure most New Yorkers don’t even realize we almost had a drought because I sure didn’t even though I’m chronically online
I’m honestly very surprised as to how much our society is using tech because I thought tech was only for computer ad virtual world… crazy
Look I’ll do my part, but if you think I’m letting it mellow in my tiny studio bathroom, think again. 😂Being fr though I had no idea NYC water came from the Catskills. This drought thing is crazy
dude just let it mellow for a bit and flush after few times you use the toilet… it’s not going to affect your bathroom
I was kidding and yeah don’t worry ill play my part
honestly, we need more transparency on how much water is actually being saved and which neighborhoods are most affected.
Right I don’t want for this to become another crisis that hits low-income communities the hardest.
It’s crazy that every time I flush the toilet, I just watch as the water gets drained and wondered how much water is being used LOL
Me too but with showers because just hearing my brother take so long in the shower hurts me
THIS IS SO TRUE ME WITH SINKS I WOULD NEVER LET THE WATER RUN WHILE I BRUSH MY TEETH BECAUSE IT ANNOYS THE CRAP OUT OF ME
are you going to let it mellow because idk it sounds and will prob smell pretty disgusting
It’s not that bad because you literally just go in for a few minutes and come out and also it’s not like you do it every 10 minutes…
I think the author makes a great point about permeable surfaces! NYC is so paved over, it makes total sense to start shifting toward water-smart infrastructure like other cities have. More of this please and great job
Thank you so much!
Cutting back on washing MTA vehicles makes sense, but it’s kinda gross to think about like can’t they find water recycling methods instead of just not washing?
Using 82 gallons per day is highkey wild.