U.S. Water News Online
NEW YORK -- New Yorkers must save water or face a possible shortage brought on by this winter's unusually warm and dry weather, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
``There are not a lot of storms on their way as far as we can tell, so this is a problem that is going to get worse,'' Bloomberg said. ``The question is, what can we do about it? And conservation is the answer.''
Bloomberg said New York City has been on a drought watch since Dec. 23, meaning there is less than a 50 percent chance the city's reservoirs will be full by June 1.
``Today or tomorrow we are likely to enter a drought warning, which is the next step,'' he said.
A drought warning would be declared if there's less than a one-third chance the reservoirs will be filled by June 1.
Joel Miele, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, said the upstate reservoirs -- including the Croton, Catskill and Delaware systems -- are at 40 percent of capacity.
``We should be at 80 percent capacity today in a normal year,'' he said.
Bloomberg, dressed in a sweater and sneakers for the Manhattan news conference on the sun-drenched lawn at Gracie Mansion, had detailed instructions for saving water.
``Short showers really do make a difference,'' he said. ``Get in, turn it on, get it the right temperature, lather up, get rid of the stuff -- of the soap -- and get out. ... While you're shaving, turn on the faucet, lather up, turn it off while you're shaving, turn it back on, just a twist of the faucet to rinse off the razor.''
He said former Mayor Ed Koch recommended showering with a friend.
``That would save money,'' Bloomberg said. ``Whether it's a good idea or not, or the morality of that, I suggest you call former Mayor Koch. I'm sure he'd be very happy to discuss his views there.''
Miele said that without significant rainfall in the next few months the city will reach a drought emergency, when water conservation would be mandatory and the city could be forced to draw water from the Hudson River. He said the city's last drought emergency was in 1989.
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