Water, Water Nowhere

Much of the eastern United States, especially New York City--badly beleaguered by Sept. 11’s attacks, the resulting economic stumble and a severe municipal budget deficit--now confronts the kind of developing water shortages only too familiar to Westerners, especially Southern Californians. It’s a reminder that ordinary water will remain an extraordinary issue nationally.

The West Coast, inured to drought, was largely spared this time around. Inland, Salt Lake City got timely Olympic snows, but much of the Rocky Mountains’ snowpack is below average, raising concerns for summer wildfires and fish habitat. Already, wildfires have scorched thousands of acres in Colorado and Arizona, with ominous implications elsewhere as summer heat waves move north. The East’s drought is already a reality for consumers. Starting Monday, Gotham and large suburban populations will be under a California-style drought emergency with mandatory water conservation steps.

Early New Yorkers relied on private wells and curbside pipes of hollow logs. Like Los Angeles, New York eventually took water from distant areas--and survived court challenges. Massive water tunnel projects are still underway. But even all that is insufficient.

The current problem’s scale impresses: The 19 reservoirs serving the city and Westchester County can hold 558 billion gallons. Normally, they’d have about 500 billion gallons now, but they contain barely 280 billion. With consumption at 1.3 billion gallons per day, that’s not much margin and puts a lot of faith in summer rains. New Yorkers responded to voluntary conservation requests, cutting hourly consumption by 1.25 million gallons, or 2%, a lot of showers shortened. Still, beginning next week, New Yorkers will endure conditions that ring familiar in Southern California: no driveway carwashes, sidewalk hosings or gushing fountains. Farewell, restaurant water glasses. And hello, no April Fooling Day.