NEW YORK — Only a few weeks after the anticipated repairs on the Delaware Aqueduct began in the beginning of October, the Office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)’s city-wide drought warning has paused the historic, $2 billion project in response to the precipitation shortage.

This reflects a three-year long history of delays.

“As our city and watershed continues to experience significant precipitation shortages, today, I’m upgrading our drought watch to a drought warning, pausing our Delaware Aqueduct repair project, and ordering our agencies to immediately implement water saving measures,” said Mayor Adams. 

With the repairs put on pause, it will be reopened to give city residents some repreive in the current water shortage crisis. 

The project, which has been in the works for the past 20 years, is closely tied with Sullivan County. The tunnel that houses the aque-duct is not only the longest in the world, but would partially cut under the county and would siphon off of various local water sources, including the Cannonsville, Pepacton, Neversink and Rondout reservoirs.

The project has already seen delays twice before since its initial start date in October of 2022.

The UDC responds

Shortly after the delay’s announcement Tuesday, the Upper Delaware Council (UDC) held their monthly Water Use / Resource Management Committee meeting.

“It’s very unfortunate that this dry spell conspired against completing these Delaware Aqueduct repairs that have been planned for 20 years and finally initiated after two prior postponements. All the best modeling, forecasting, and engineering can’t prevail over Mother Nature ultimately,” Executive Director of the Upper Delaware Council (UDC) Laurie Ramie said. 

“We don’t know yet the full consequences of this delay, but since the New York City Department of Environmental Protection has been very transparent in updating the Upper Delaware Council throughout this long process, we fully expect to receive more information.”