Water facilities, according to senior administration officials, use automation and electronic networks that are vulnerable to cyber attacks, which could result in unsafe water, a halt in water flow to consumers, and infrastructure damage.
The administration's plan will push for the adoption of new technologies that provide early detection of cyber threats, improve response to such incidents, and allow such data to be shared with the US government.
Following a series of high-profile cyber breaches that crippled American companies and government agencies, including a ransomware incident that disrupted gasoline supplies, the Biden administration has prioritized cybersecurity.
Last year, hackers broke into the computer system of a facility near Tampa, Florida, that treats water for about 15,000 people, and attempted to add a dangerous level of additive to the water supply.
President Joe Biden signed a national security memorandum in July to establish "performance controls" for cybersecurity in the country's most critical businesses. He warned that if the United States became embroiled in a "real shooting war" with a "major power," it could be the result of a significant cyber attack on the country, highlighting what Washington sees as a growing threat posed by hackers from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
The most recent water sector initiative will be implemented in collaboration with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Water Sector Coordinating Council. The EPA will invite water utilities to participate in a pilot program, but participation will be entirely voluntary, according to officials.