The "Water ISAC Threat Protection Act" establishes an EPA program to support water systems' participation in the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center, enhancing cybersecurity and threat preparedness in the water sector.
Janice "Jan" Schakowsky
Representative
IL-9
The Water Intelligence, Security, and Cyber Threat Protection Act directs the EPA to create a program that supports water systems' participation in the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Water ISAC). This program aims to offset membership costs, improve data collection and threat analysis, and enhance resources for monitoring and preparedness within the water sector. The Act authorizes \$10,000,000 for both 2026 and 2027 to implement these provisions.
Bill Offers $20M Boost for Local Water Systems to Join Cyber Threat Network
This bill, known as the "Water ISAC Threat Protection Act," sets up a new program within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The main goal? To help your local community water systems and wastewater treatment plants beef up their defenses against cyber threats and other hazards. It specifically authorizes $10 million for fiscal year 2026 and another $10 million for 2027 to get this done.
Making Security Affordable: Helping Your Local Water Join the Watch
The core of the program focuses on getting more water utilities plugged into the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Water ISAC). Think of Water ISAC as a central hub where folks managing water systems share information about potential threats – like hacking attempts or even natural disaster impacts – and how to handle them. Section 2 of the bill directs the EPA to use the allocated funds to help offset the costs for water systems, especially smaller ones that might find membership fees a barrier, to join or stay members of Water ISAC. This means your local provider could get access to critical, up-to-the-minute security intelligence without putting a major dent in their operating budget.
Connecting the Pipes: Better Intel for Safer Water
Beyond just funding memberships, the bill aims to strengthen the working relationship between the EPA and Water ISAC. It calls for expanded cooperation on collecting data about incidents and analyzing threats specific to the water sector. Essentially, it's about ensuring the experts monitoring national infrastructure threats and the people running your local water plant are sharing information effectively. The legislation also intends to boost Water ISAC's own resources, enhancing its ability to keep tabs on the overall security status of the nation's water systems and improve everyone's readiness for potential disruptions, whether from malicious actors or natural events.