Cyberattacks: EPA Urges Water Utilities to Take Immediate Action to Protect Water Supply

The alert states that many water providers have failed to take basic steps to protect their systems from hackers.

The screen of a hacked Unitronics device that was in a pumping booster station owned by the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa, in Aliquippa, Pa., on Nov. 25, 2023. File photo/Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa via AP

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warned on Monday that cyberattacks against water utilities in the United States are becoming increasingly frequent and severe. The agency issued an enforcement alert, urging water systems to take immediate action to protect the nation’s drinking water.

The EPA said approximately 70 percent of utilities inspected by federal officials since September 2023 had violated standards meant to avert intrusions. Officials urged all water systems—no matter how small—to improve measures to protect against hackers. Smaller communities have been recently targeted by groups affiliated with Russia and Iran.