The Northeast of the United States has been experiencing unprecedented drought conditions this autumn, defying the historical trend of ample rainfall. The situation has intensified to the point where experts warn of serious consequences if significant changes to water management policies are not made.
According to the latest reports, parts of the region, from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to south of Philadelphia, are facing the driest three months on record. Reservoir levels are nearing historic lows, leading to concerns about water shortages for both residential use and agricultural needs. Fires have burned through parks and forests, raising alarms about the compounding risk of wildfires alongside the drought.
This year, Philadelphia is about to set a record for the longest dry period since detailed weather records were kept more than 150 years ago. The city is on track to pass the old milestone of 29 days without measurable rainfall. A whopping 64% of the Northeast is grappling with unusually dry conditions, and reports indicate 30% of the area is officially labeled as under drought.
Major steps must be taken to avoid dire water shortages now and moving forward, as climate change escalates the frequency and severity of droughts. "This is the canary in the coal mine for the future," stated Tim Eustance, executive director of the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission. Eustance emphasizes the urgent need for communities to rethink their water usage to adapt to this changing climate.
Experts propose several strategies to stretch water supplies, particularly as the Northeast gears up for what could be another long winter season. One of the first suggestions involves enhancing the aquifer, which is often overlooked as a major water storage unit. Groundwater, which constitutes about half of New Jersey's drinking water supply, has continuously declined due to urban sprawl and extensive impervious surfaces, like those created by parking lots. Eustance highlighted, "New Jersey is ‘mall-landia.’ We have these giant parking lots which could be utilized to reclaim water instead." The notion of using permeable materials such as permeable asphalt and concrete could allow rainwater to seep back underground, effectively replenishing these aquifers.
Some regions, like Los Angeles and Virginia Beach, have taken more radical measures by injecting highly treated wastewater back underground, significantly boosting available water supplies. While this is not yet standard practice throughout the Northeast, its adoption can serve as both mitigation for drought and as part of urban planning strategies.
The issue of water conservation awareness also looms large. Currently, the idea of incentivizing water-saving actions is prevalent across the Western U.S., where municipalities have successfully offered payments for residents to replace lawns with drought-resistant landscaping. This initiative has not been as widespread in the Northeast, where robbing the abundance of water has instilled a different mindset. Alan Roberson from the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators remarked, "The abundance has created a different perspective; this can make it hard to get people on board with conservation."
To combat this complacency, municipalities could explore upgrading water meters to provide detailed customer insights, showcasing potential conservation avenues and allowing individuals to save money when droughts are not perceived as immediate threats.
Reusing water is another promising avenue. Collecting water from sinks, washing machines, and showers, treating it to the highest standards, and then repurposing it for non-drinking applications constitutes another layer of sustainability. Water from toilets could be treated and recycled for irrigation purposes or even for industrial cooling. Eustance poignantly stated, "One of the crimes I think, is we use drinking water to water our lawns and flush our toilets.”
Upcoming water recycling projects, like one planned for the old Domino Sugar Refinery on New York's East River, promise to treat around 400,000 gallons of wastewater daily, enough to cover significant areas with nearly 15 inches of water. This treated water will facilitate operations within newly developed mixed-use buildings, freeing up drinking water for necessary uses.
While non-potable water reuse initiatives are gaining traction, crossing them over to broader regional applicability remains the next big hurdle. Beth O’Connell, chief engineer for Anne Arundel County, Maryland, mentioned the need to scale such projects for state-level implementation for them to effectively combat water shortages throughout the region.
A collective mindset shift is also required to prepare for prolonged droughts. Del Shannon, dam engineer and member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, emphasized, “Planning for future droughts needs to be costly,” referencing the necessity to invest significantly now to prevent shortages later. Shannon called for shifting attitudes from one of abundance to one of cautious resource management, similar to practices adopted by several developing nations working to secure reliable water sources for both agricultural and drinking purposes.
Fortunately, the current dry conditions may serve as a wake-up call for local governments, businesses, and communities alike to rethink and reinforce their water management practices. Experts reiterate the importance of vigilance and proactive planning as not just necessary but unavoidable as more dry conditions and potential shortages loom on the horizon.
Such enhanced approaches to water conservation, use, and recycling are not just beneficial but necessary, helping to pave the way for sustainable water management practices not just to survive such dry spells, but to thrive and secure the future water needs of the Northeast.
