NYC Under Drought Watch After Historic Dry October

New York City is under a drought watch after experiencing the driest October since recordkeeping began in 1869, which has resulted in minimal inflow for the city's reservoirs. Mayor Eric Adams and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are urging residents and city agencies to conserve water through measures such as fixing leaks and taking shorter showers. DEP Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala highlighted the urgent need for consistent rain, as the reservoirs are currently under two-thirds capacity. The drought watch marks the first of three levels of conservation alerts and may escalate to a drought warning or emergency if conditions do not improve. New Yorkers are encouraged to conserve water to avoid more stringent measures in the future.