|
Drought Warning Issued for Portion of New York State
with Remaining Areas Under a Drought Watch
Published: November 18, 2024
at 06:00 p.m.
By: Press Release
from NYS DEC
Drought Warning Issued for the Catskills, Hudson
Valley, and New York City
DEC issued a
heightened Drought Warning for much of the Catskill, Hudson Valley, and New
York City regions. The rest of the State remains under a previously
declared Drought Watch.
This map can be also found on DEC's Current Drought Conditions webpage.
A
"warning" is the second of four levels of state drought
advisories ("watch," "warning," "emergency"
and "disaster"). There are no statewide mandatory water use
restrictions in place under a drought watch or warning
but citizens are strongly encouraged to voluntarily conserve water. Local
public water suppliers may impose water use restrictions depending upon
local needs and conditions.
To protect water
resources, homeowners in regions under the drought watch or drought warning
are encouraged to voluntarily reduce water use and follow these tips:
- Reuse water collected in rain barrels,
dehumidifiers or air conditioners to water plants.
- Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways
and sidewalks.
- Fix leaking pipes, fixtures, toilets, hoses
and faucets.
- Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry.
- Take shorter showers
or fill the bathtub partly.
- Install water saving plumbing fixtures.
- Don’t run the tap to make water
hot or cold.
- Wash cars less frequently.
New York State
Department of Health is in contact with public water suppliers to convey
any potential steps they need to take. For water wells that may be affected
by drought:
- Contact a registered water well contractor to discuss
appropriate options for your individual situation.
- Check that the well is dry due to drought and
no other issues. Sometimes the solution is quite simple, like a broken
valve or electrical issue. The only way to definitively tell if a well
is dry is to measure the water level in the well.
- Conserve water year-round to help prevent the
effects of drought on water wells.
- Consider adding a water storage tank to help
get through dry periods.
- Clean or redevelop existing wells.
- Deepen existing wells or drill a new well. If
drilling a new well, properly decommission the old well to protect
groundwater quality.
DEC has issued a statewide burn ban until Nov. 30
This burn ban
prohibits the starting of outdoor fires statewide
for purposes of brush and debris disposal, as well as uncontained
campfires, and open fires used for cooking. Backyard fire pits and
contained campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length,
width, or diameter are allowed, as are small, contained cooking fires.
Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York State.
Several municipalities also have burn bans in effect.
For more
information about fire safety and prevention, go to DEC's FIREWISE New York web page.
Governor Hochul
also issued a related press release. For more information and that full press release, visit the Governor's website.
|
