Stronger water cybersecurity sought by new legislation

StateScoop reports that new legislation that would establish the Water Risk and Resilience Organization to strengthen cybersecurity in water and wastewater systems across the U.S. was unveiled by Reps. John Duarte, R-Calif., and Rick Crawford, R-Ariz.

The non-federal agency, which will include cybersecurity and water system experts, would be tasked with developing and enforcing water cybersecurity requirements with the guidance of the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the bill, which notes the agency’s operation to be akin to the electric sector’s North American Electrical Corporation and the Federal Electric Regulatory Commission.

“Foreign adversaries such as Russia and China have utilized cyberattacks to target critical infrastructure such as water systems. This bill is a more proactive approach to safeguarding our drinking and wastewater from these types of attacks,” Crawford said.

Such a development comes after U.S. governors were urged by the EPA and Department of National Security Affairs to remediate water system vulnerabilities.