The authorities of New York City are concerned about the low water levels in the reservoirs after months of scarce rainfall and have indicated that they might postpone the repair of an aqueduct that is temporarily out of service to bring more water to the system. New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a drought alert this month and urged city residents to conserve water by taking shorter showers and fixing leaking faucets.
"We are concerned about the system, overall... The New York City system is currently at 63% of its capacity. But the tributaries flowing into the reservoir system have nearly reached historical lows," said Paul Rush, who is in charge of water supply for the New York Environmental Protection Agency. During a visit to the Schoharie reservoir this week, Rush said the water system needs "a significant injection of rain."
The dry weather coincides with the temporary closure of an aqueduct in the northern state for repairs. But even with voluntary measures, below-normal rainfall since September has affected the extensive network of reservoirs in northern New York State. More than 161 kilometers (100 miles) north of Manhattan, the Schoharie reservoir was at less than one-third of its capacity this week, exposing vast muddy plains as the water receded.
"We may halt and reactivate the Delaware Aqueduct to restore full access across the supply given these extremely dry conditions," Rush said. The Delaware Aqueduct, which normally supplies more than half of the city's water, was drained as part of a $2 billion project to repair leaks. Rush said the repair project includes pauses during which agency officials will weigh whether they should continue working based on factors like supply levels and forecasts. Normally, we would be around 79% capacity.
