New York City on Monday issued its first drought warning in 22 years and paused major repairs to its main water aqueduct out of concern for the lack of rainfall. Dry conditions across the Northeast have been blamed for hundreds of brush fires.

New York City and 10 other counties are now under a drought warning. The Big Apple had previously been under a drought watch​.

The mayor ordered city agencies to implement a range of drought protocols to conserve water and reminded New Yorkers to continue to do their part in saving water wherever possible. Conserving water will slow the depletion rate of the stored water in city reservoirs and can potentially postpone or eliminate the threat of a serious shortage.

Adams upgraded the city to a drought warning from a drought watch and paused the final phase of $2 billion Delaware Aqueduct Repair Project, which will allow the city to reopen four additional reservoirs.

NEW YORK — New York City on Monday issued its first drought warning in 22 years after months of little rain — and will restart the flow of drinking water

Mayor Eric Adams declared a drought warning Monday — and halted a major aqueduct repair project to preserve the city’s waters supply — as New York City faces the threat of severe water shortages. Adams also directed city agencies to roll back water usage and urged New Yorkers to voluntarily do the same amid the historic rainfall shortage and dwindling water reserves.

Mayor Eric Adams instructed New York City agencies to enact water-saving measures and implored New Yorkers to continue conserving water on Monday as the city’s drought watch escalated to a drought warning amid persistent dry conditions.