Amid a series of brush fires, including one in Manhattan, the city issued the first drought warning in 22 years and announced plans to release water through the Delaware Aqueduct to supplement local reservoirs.
New York City is under its first drought warning in more than two decades, adding to the danger of the brush fires sweeping the region. According to an Associated Press article, the city will also restart the flow of water through the Delaware Aqueduct to shore up city reservoirs, pausing a repair project on the aqueduct.
If conditions worsen, the city could elevate the warning to an emergency, which would trigger mandatory cutbacks on water use. New York is also under a statewide drought watch announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday.
The city is implementing water-saving measures in its own departments, with a plan to reduce washing of buses and subway cars and limit water use on publicly owned golf courses and parks.
The rain the city received on Thursday will not be “a drought buster, but it will help, especially with ongoing fire weather issues,” according to the National Weather Service's New York office. The city’s reservoirs are at roughly 60 percent capacity.
FULL STORY: NYC issues first drought warning in 22 years, pauses aqueduct repairs to bring in more water
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