NYC Water Usage Dropped During Bad Bunny Performance Then Spiked Massively
New York City’s water data told an interesting story on February 9, 2026. While Bad Bunny was performing during the Super Bowl halftime show, water use across the city noticeably dipped. Fewer faucets were running. Fewer toilets were flushing. People were clearly watching.
Then the show ended, and the numbers jumped. In the 15 minutes that followed, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection recorded the equivalent of about 761,719 toilets flushing. For comparison, last year’s post-halftime spike reached 467,881 flush equivalents.
The department tracks this pattern every year and usually sees small waves at three points: when halftime begins, when it ends, and when the game wraps up. What stood out this time was how sharply usage fell during the performance before rebounding. Officials said the system handled the surge smoothly since the demand was distributed across the city’s entire water network.
The Performance That Held A City’s Attention
The halftime performance came from Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. The February 2026 show drew global attention even before official broadcast ratings were released.
Super Bowl halftime performances have often drawn more than 100 million viewers, according to historical data. In this case, digital engagement exploded. Performance-related content reportedly reached about 4 billion views across platforms during the first 24 hours of distribution.
NFL social clips tied to the show climbed past 179 million views, with more than half coming outside the United States. Around 55 percent of total NFL social traffic connected to the performance came from international audiences.
The day after the show, Bad Bunny held the top six spots on Spotify’s United States Top 50 chart, and he has ranked among Spotify’s most-streamed artists globally for multiple consecutive years.
The Importance of the Bathroom Data
New York City officials explained that water systems usually detect spikes tied to game milestones. The halftime dip is directly tied to viewer focus, and the rebound hit once the performance ended. Fans even coined the nickname “Benito Bowl,” showing how strongly the performance connected with viewers.
The halftime show featured surprise appearances by Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga. Bad Bunny also wore a No. 64 jersey as a tribute to his late uncle, adding emotional depth to the performance.
The 2026 halftime show demonstrated how modern entertainment can spread across borders instantly. Meanwhile, New York’s water data gave a rare physical signal tied to digital and broadcast engagement. Millions watched, reacted, and then returned to normal routines almost simultaneously.