Most Americans rarely think about the systems delivering clean water to their homes or carrying wastewater safely away. That is exactly how a well-run utility should work. Water professionals take care of thousands of complicated processes behind the scenes so the people they serve do not have to worry about them.
But today, protecting water requires more than maintaining pumps, pipes and treatment equipment. It also requires protecting the digital systems that monitor and control them.
In July 2026, the FBI and Environmental Protection Agency issued an urgent warning about malicious cyber actors targeting internet-connected programmable logic controllers, or PLCs, used by water and wastewater utilities. Since July 27, utilities in at least seven states had reported incidents to the FBI, and some experienced degraded water operations.
The attackers remotely accessed certain Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley PLCs, changed IP addresses and passwords, and caused utilities to lose monitoring and control capabilities. Reported consequences included loss of water pressure and flooding. Loss of pressure is especially concerning because it can create conditions that allow untreated groundwater to enter distribution pipes.
Why Water Systems Are Attractive Targets
Water and wastewater utilities operate critical infrastructure, yet many systems—particularly those serving smaller communities—must manage aging equipment, limited staffing and tight budgets. Remote technology helps operators monitor multiple facilities efficiently, but every connection must be properly secured.
The EPA says cyberattacks against public water systems are increasing in frequency and severity. In 2025, the agency identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities at 277 water systems and worked with those utilities on individualized solutions, including stronger authentication and tighter access controls.
A cyberattack does not have to contaminate drinking water to cause serious disruption. Hackers can interfere with pumps, alter equipment settings, interrupt communications, block operators from viewing system conditions or force a utility to shift quickly to manual operations. Even when water quality remains protected, restoring equipment, investigating an intrusion and rebuilding public confidence can consume valuable time and resources.
Practical Protection Starts Now
Utilities should maintain clean, dependable backups and verify that those backups have not been altered. Operators should practice running critical systems manually, and business-continuity and incident-response plans should be routinely tested. The EPA’s 2026 national cybersecurity drill specifically challenged utilities to maintain essential operations when internet and telecommunications services were unavailable or unreliable.
The PeopleService Point of View
At PeopleService, we understand that safeguarding water now means protecting both the physical facility and the technology behind it.
That is why we align with trusted partners to assess water and wastewater control-system vulnerabilities and help utilities take practical steps to reduce their risk. Those steps can include securing remote access with multi-factor authentication, updating network devices and threat-detection tools, establishing reliable system backups, reviewing potential weak points, and adding video surveillance and building security.
Just as important, we understand SCADA systems and how to improve security without unnecessarily disrupting everyday operations.
Cybersecurity can sound like an overwhelming technical challenge, especially for communities with limited staff and resources. It becomes more manageable when utilities begin with the fundamentals, understand their vulnerabilities and develop a prioritized plan. The EPA offers water and wastewater utilities free cybersecurity assessments, technical assistance and risk-mitigation guidance to help them get started.
The word “people” is in our name for a reason. We care about the professionals operating these systems and the communities we serve together. Protecting technology ultimately protects people—the employees responding to problems, the leaders responsible for public safety and every resident who expects clean water to flow when the faucet is turned.
The threat is real. Fortunately, so are the steps utilities can take today to become more secure, prepared and resilient.