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The White House plans to adapt Project Watershed 250, a Texas water-sector cybersecurity pilot, for additional critical-infrastructure sectors. National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said the Office of the National Cyber Director will identify the sectors after assessing how the program can scale, but did not disclose a rollout timeline.
Launched in San Antonio on August 31, the pilot links water utilities with government and private-sector cybersecurity support to identify and remediate vulnerabilities. The initiative is designed to address limited funding and technical expertise among water providers, testing whether industry partnerships can lower deployment costs, provide security technology, and strengthen operational defenses. Cairncross also said ONCD is developing a cyber academy proposal involving venture capital, private-sector initiatives, and a service component to expand the cybersecurity workforce.
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The White House launched Project Watershed 250, a Texas water-sector cybersecurity pilot linking water utilities with the Office of the National Cyber Director, Texas Cyber Command, the Texas governor's office, and private companies to identify and remediate vulnerabilities.
Cairncross said the Office of the National Cyber Director is developing a cyber academy proposal intended to combine venture-capital and other private-sector initiatives with a service component to encourage cybersecurity careers.
National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said the White House is evaluating expansion of the Project Watershed 250 model to additional critical-infrastructure sectors. The sectors and launch timeline were not disclosed.
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The Trump administration launched **Project Watershed 250**, a six-month pilot to identify and remediate cybersecurity weaknesses at Texas water and wastewater utilities. Led by the Office of the National Cyber Director and Texas Cyber Command, with participation from the Texas governor’s office, EPA, CISA and private companies, the program will provide participating utilities no-cost assessments, red-team testing, system hardening and AI-enabled defensive tools. The initiative follows persistent threats to U.S. water infrastructure, including an Iranian-backed campaign that affected roughly 30 systems across 12 states and a suspected Russian-linked 2024 intrusion at Muleshoe, Texas. Officials said the pilot is designed as a collaborative, industry-led alternative to withdrawn federal audit requirements and could become a model for a nationwide water-sector cybersecurity program.
Sep 2, 2026
U.S. policymakers are advancing new cybersecurity measures for the **water and wastewater sector**, with separate federal and state initiatives aimed at improving defenses for under-resourced utilities. A bipartisan federal proposal, the **FLOWS Act**, would provide the Environmental Protection Agency with **$50 million annually** to help small and rural water systems modernize cybersecurity capabilities, digital monitoring, and operational technology support without requiring local cost sharing that often blocks access to federal aid. In New York, state officials finalized what they describe as **first-of-its-kind cyber mandates** for public water systems and paired them with a **$2.5 million grant program** to support risk assessments and security upgrades. The rules establish enforceable requirements for drinking water and wastewater operators to create formal cybersecurity programs, identify risks, and implement technical safeguards for operational systems, reflecting broader concern that the water sector remains a comparatively weak point in U.S. critical infrastructure security.
Jun 30, 2026
New York has expanded its effort to protect drinking water and wastewater systems by pairing statewide cybersecurity requirements with more than **$9 million** in SECURE grant funding for **153** utilities. State officials said the program supports cybersecurity assessments, security upgrades, operator training, incident reporting, and risk-based protections, while requiring larger drinking water systems to designate cybersecurity leads. The initiative builds on regulations issued by the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health and is administered through the Environmental Facilities Corporation with technical assistance for local communities. The funding push comes as U.S. water infrastructure faces heightened operational technology threats. A recent multistate campaign targeted more than 30 community water systems in Minnesota, with additional incidents reported in at least seven states including Michigan, South Dakota, and Georgia. Federal investigators have not formally attributed the activity, but Iran is considered a leading suspect because the tactics resemble earlier operations against industrial control systems and water utilities. In response, **CISA** urged operators to remove internet-exposed PLCs and strengthen remote access and password security.
Aug 5, 2026