Mayor of New York City Eric Adams declared on Wednesday that buildings that have consistently neglected to pay their water bills will have their water supply turned off by the city.
A total of $102 million in overdue water bills are owed by around 2,400 of the city's chronically delinquent water service accounts, according to officials.
The city is hoping to get its hands on that money, especially from commercial buildings. And local authorities have a plan to accomplish just that.
Officials said that until the total sum owed is paid or a payment deal is reached within the next 15 days, they will send out "Water Shutoff Notices" to the clients, cutting off their water.
A Shutoff Label On The Front of The Hayden Hotel
Adams included a shutoff label on the front of the $17 million Hayden Hotel, which is located on West 28th Street and has unpaid water bills totaling $400,000, as part of the announcement.
Together with Dexter House on the Upper West Side, the Draper Hotel, which is a member of Hilton's tapestry group, owes the city more than $300,000. They are only a few of the worst offenders, according to the city.
The Department of Environmental Protection recovered almost $3 million from over 400 past-due accounts earlier this year as a result of sending out "Water Shutoff Warning" letters.
Placing The Liens On Unpaid Water Bills
Adams wants the City Council to approve the placing of liens on unpaid water bills; however, in the interim, the only alternatives are water shutoffs, public humiliation, and legal action.
All bill payments go toward funding the upkeep, improvements, and repairs of nearly 15,000 miles of water and sewer mains, 19 reservoirs, 12,000 rain gardens, and 14 wastewater resource recovery facilities. According to officials, the money recovered will be utilized by the DEP to keep water rates reasonable for all customers.
The tap water in New York City is enjoyed by about half of the state's population.