AWWA urges expanded U.S. cybersecurity support, measures

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Water Works Association (AWWA) today sent a letter to U.S. Congressional leaders urging strong federal support for water utilities following cyber attacks on multiple water systems in recent days.

"Recent cybersecurity attacks on water utilities across multiple states underscore the need to further support drinking water and wastewater utilities as critical infrastructure," AWWA CEO David LaFrance wrote in a letter to U.S. House and Senate leadership. "Water utilities are often out of sight and out of mind – historically under-resourced compared to other critical infrastructure sectors – despite their central role in daily life, the economy, and public health."

The letter encouraged federal funding for critical cybersecurity needs, expansion of eligibility under existing programs to include cybersecurity training for utilities of all sizes, information-sharing among key agencies, and a collaborative process, with input from water sector and cybersecurity experts, in developing sensible regulation that accounts for the variability in size and complexity of all water systems.

AWWA expressed support for cybersecurity measures included in the Senate's Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (S. 4949), including:

• Reauthorization of the Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program.
• Cybersecurity training as an eligible use of funds in:
  • the Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program and,
  • the Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Program.
• A program to design, construct, or maintain digital infrastructure technology, including through cybersecurity risk mitigation training and technical assistance, for rural water systems and systems in areas experiencing critical water supply needs.
• A program to encourage participation in the communications and intelligence sharing organization WaterISAC.

AWWA also asked Congress to consider additional measures, including:

• Water Risk and Resilience Organization Establishment Act (H.R. 2594), which establishes an independent, nongovernmental organization to develop minimum cybersecurity requirements for the water sector with oversight by EPA.
• State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program Reauthorization Act (S. 3251), which reauthorizes the SLCGP to help state and local governments address cybersecurity risks.
• Cybersecurity for Rural Systems Act (H.R. 2109/S. 1018), which expands the U.S. Department of Agriculture's successful Circuit Rider Program to include cybersecurity.
• Protecting America from Cyber Threats Act (S. 2983), which reauthorizes the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 for an additional ten years.

"We respectfully urge Congress to provide the support utilities have long needed for continued cybersecurity investment in their systems," the letter states. "AWWA is ready and eager to continue serving as a partner and resource on water system cybersecurity."

About AWWA
Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world's most vital resource. With approximately 50,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life.

SOURCE American Water Works Association