After two months of work and increased precipitation, Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwal announced that New York City is no longer on a drought watch.
The drought watch was first issued on Nov. 2 during the driest weather spell in the city’s recorded history, and was eventually elevated to a drought warning on Nov. 18 when the lack of precipitation led to unprecedented challenges, including several wildfires in the city and the watershed. DEP implemented measures to safeguard the city’s water supply, including delaying the Delaware Aqueduct repair project and urging New Yorkers to conserve water.