The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies recently testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee as the panel convened for a hearing on "Identifying and Addressing Cybersecurity Challenges to Protect America's Water Infrastructure."
AMWA called on the committee to increase assistance to help the nation's drinking water systems respond to cyber threats. Scott Dewhirst, deputy general manager of engineering and technology at Fairfax Water, represented the association during the hearing.
"Drinking water systems represent an attractive target for cyber adversaries," Dewhirst told the committee in his prepared testimony. "A successful attack could not only threaten water quality and public health, but would also undermine public confidence in the safety and reliability of drinking water."
Dewhirst's testimony delivered on behalf of AMWA included several policy recommendations for lawmakers to consider, including directing EPA to more actively promote participation in the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC) to drinking water and wastewater systems, fully funding federal programs that offer financial assistance to help water systems address cyber threats, and exploring new oversight models to encourage water systems to adopt baseline cyber hygiene practices appropriate for their utility.
"AMWA and its members across the country remain committed to taking all appropriate measures to strengthen our cyber defenses, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with our federal partners to close the remaining gaps and secure needed funding and technical assistance," Dewhirst said.
Dewhirst is a former member of AMWA's board of directors and currently serves as treasurer on WaterISAC's board of managers. Prior to joining Fairfax Water, Dewhirst was water superintendent for Tacoma Water in Tacoma, Washington. He has provided congressional testimony on multiple occasions and has been featured in industry publications for his insights on cybersecurity.
AMWA has worked with lawmakers to develop policies to help water systems defend against and respond to cyber threats. Last year, the association supported introduction of the Water Intelligence, Security, and Cyber Threat Protection Act in the House and Senate (H.R. 2344/S. 1118), as well as the Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act (H.R. 5566/S. 3590). Each bill would deliver resources to help water systems strengthen their cybersecurity posture.