Water Authority Cybersecurity Protection Act

Key Points

• This bill would double the amount of money the government provides to help water utilities protect their systems from cyberattacks and other risks. It specifically targets smaller water systems that might not have the money or staff to handle these threats on their own.
• The plan increases funding for technical help from $5 million to $10 million and boosts grants for small water systems from $10 million to $20 million. Total spending for the program would rise to $50 million for the years 2028 and 2029.
• This matters because many local water authorities use computer systems that are vulnerable to hackers. If these systems are attacked, it could disrupt clean water supplies or damage expensive equipment.
• The bill was introduced by a Democrat and a Republican, showing that both parties are concerned about the safety of the nation's drinking water infrastructure.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.