Westchester County Drought Watch

Westchester County Drought Watch and Wildfires

Westchester County has officially been put on drought watch this week. We join New York City, Rockland County, and several other New York State counties, which are experiencing abnormally dry days this season, 15 counties in total. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued a drought watch due to significant rainfall shortages and decreasing streamflow and groundwater levels.

Following this announcement, the DEC updated the State Drought Management Task Force and federal partner agencies. They are encouraging residents in the affected counties, particularly those dependent on private groundwater wells, to conserve water over the next few weeks.

In a statement released by the DEC, DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “Recent unseasonably warm weather and lack of precipitation have led to dry conditions for many counties in New York, resulting in some downstate areas being put under drought watch. Local water restrictions and educating residents about how to help conserve our water resources are crucial steps to help prevent a more severe shortage until conditions improve.”

Today, we’re bringing you a few ways you and your family can work together to conserve water in your homes during this drought and beyond.

Water Conservation Tips for Your Family

Bathroom

To conserve water in your home, start by checking your toilet for leaks. You can easily do this by adding a few drops of food coloring to the toilet tank. If the color appears in the bowl without flushing, it indicates a leak that could waste multiple gallons of water each day. Additionally, avoid using your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. Flushing items like cigarette butts or tissues can waste at least 1.6 gallons of water each time.

When it comes to showers, limit your time to reduce water usage, as a typical shower consumes between two to five gallons of water per minute. Installing water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors can also help by reducing the flow. Alternatively, taking baths can be more water-efficient than long showers, especially if the tub is only partially filled.

Finally, remember to turn off the water while brushing your teeth and shaving. A little goes a long way, so doing these small things in your bathroom can make all the difference.

Kitchen

Conserving water in your kitchen makes a significant difference and is easy to do. Families can start by reducing the usage of faucets. If you find that you normally let your faucet run while doing things like cleaning your vegetables, opt for using a bowl filled with clean water to rinse them.

Another effective way to reduce water waste is to keep a bottle or pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. This eliminates the need to run tap water and gives you fresh, cold water at any given time.

When washing dishes by hand, avoid leaving the water running for rinsing. If you have two sinks available, fill one with rinse water. For those with a single sink, invest in a spray bottle that can be used during dishwashing to rinse before putting them to dry.

Outdoors

When maintaining a healthy lawn and garden, it’s important to adopt smart watering practices. Start by only watering your lawn when it needs it. When you water it, make sure to deep-soak the lawn so that water reaches the roots because light watering can evaporate before being absorbed.

Choosing plants wisely can also help in preserving water. Think about planting drought-resistant trees and plants that thrive without irrigation. When it comes to cleaning and washing, use a broom for driveways and sidewalks instead of a hose to save water. When washing your car, use a bucket of soapy water and only use the hose for rinsing.

Overall, make sure you’re checking for any unnecessary leaks and reducing your usage of water as much as you can on a daily basis.

More to Look Out For

The counties that are currently under drought watch are the Bronx, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Kings, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester. As of right now, we are only on the first of four levels of State drought advisories, which are watch, warning, emergency, and disaster. However, many of us are being advised to conserve water when we can and watch our water usage.

Due to the current drought in our area, the DEC has also advised residents in Rockland County, The Catskills, Hudson Valley, and Long Island to follow their fire safety guidelines as there is now a higher risk of wildfires.

DEC Fire Safety Guidelines