New York City Declares First Drought Warning in 22 Years

City officials urge water conservation as reservoirs drop significantly due to a historic lack of rainfall.

New York City's reservoirs are at 60% capacity, a significant drop from the usual 79% for this time of year, prompting the first drought warning since 2002.
Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul have implemented water-saving measures, including pausing a major aqueduct repair to restore water flow from four reservoirs.
The drought warning follows a record dry spell, with the last six weeks being the driest on record, leading to an increase in brush fires across the city.
Residents are encouraged to conserve water voluntarily, with measures such as shorter showers and fixing leaks, to prevent escalation to a drought emergency.
The drought warning affects 15 counties in New York State, with officials predicting some rainfall later this week, which is not expected to fully alleviate the drought conditions.