The Wait... app is an easy tool for New Yorkers to help keep NYC waterways clean. During heavy rains, the Wait... app will tell you it’s time to WAIT to use water, like doing laundry or washing dishes. When the rain passes the app will remind you it’s okay to restart. By WAITing, you make it easier for our sewers to do their job while helping protect NYC’s waterways and marine wildlife.

When there’s heavy rain, we’ll send a notification so you know when to Wait… and we’ll send another notification when it’s all clear. You will only receive notifications when rain is forecasted so you can plan ahead when we get those big New York City downpours.

Whenever we do laundry, shower, wash dishes or flush the toilet, the water we use goes down the drain and into the sewer. But when there’s heavy rain, that wastewater has to share the sewer with LOTS of rainwater. On those days, our sewers can fill to capacity and a mix of wastewater and rainwater can end up going into our waterways. Think of it like rush hour on the freeway: there’s only so much road and when everyone’s trying to use it at the same time, it can get jammed. And just like rush hour, the best thing to do is avoid it.

Ways to Wait…
• Doing laundry later
• Taking a shorter shower
• Delaying dishwashing
And if you’re really brave…
• Waiting to flush the toilet