New York City Issues 1st Drought Warning In 22 Years; Engineers End Delaware Aqueduct Repairs (Not Enough H2O Elsewhere) [View all]

New York City on Monday issued its first drought warning in 22 years and paused major repairs to its main water aqueduct out of concern for the lack of rainfall.

Dry conditions across the north-east have been blamed for hundreds of brush fires. They had already prompted New York and state officials to implement water-conservation protocols when Mayor Eric Adams upgraded the drought warning and temporarily halted the $2bn Delaware aqueduct project, which was intended to repair leaks in the 80-year-old tunnel.

Last week, a park on the northern tip of Manhattan caught fire, sending smoke billowing across the city – less than a week after a brush fire in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.

The city may elevate the warning to an emergency if dry conditions persist, Adams said. A drought emergency involves requiring residents and city agencies to cut down on water usage. Upgrading from a watch to a warning requires a range of conservation protocols, Adams said.

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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/18/new-york-drought-warning