NYC faces historic drought: Mayor urges urgent water conservation

According to the National Weather Service, October typically brings about 4.4 inches of rain to New York City. The city’s Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner, Rohit Aggarwala, stated that this October was the driest in New York City in over 150 years.

Adams urged New Yorkers to take shorter showers and fix leaking faucets. He asked residents to turn off faucets while brushing their teeth and to sweep sidewalks instead of washing them with water. He also called for reporting open hydrants and other street leaks to prevent a more severe water shortage in the most populous city in the USA.

"Mother Nature is in charge, so we must adapt," declared the mayor. He instructed city agencies to prepare to implement water-saving plans.

New York City uses an average of 1.1 billion gallons of water each day, which is about 35 percent less than in 1979. This decrease is attributed, among other things, to more effective leak detection.

One challenge in managing water resources is the repair of a large, leaking aqueduct that transports water to the city from the Catskill region. This situation forces residents to rely more on reservoirs in the northern suburbs. Only 0.8 inches of rain fell there last month, which is just about one-fifth of the October average.