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Water Infrastructure

All articles tagged with #water infrastructure

Rainwater Harvesting Could Shield Puerto Rico From Drought
environment13 days ago

Rainwater Harvesting Could Shield Puerto Rico From Drought

Puerto Rico faces a historic drought with water rationing caused by aging pipes and leaks; despite plentiful rainfall, rainwater harvesting isn’t mandated or subsidized, a gap that keeps a low-cost, scalable relief option underused. If 1 million households adopted simple rain-catchment systems, the island could collect about 30 billion gallons a year, easing demand on the grid while larger infrastructure repairs are pursued. Political will, costs, and building codes remain hurdles to widespread adoption.

via WIRED|
#climate-change#drought#environment
US Water Grids Under Cyber Threat as Iranian, Other Hacks Prompt Regulation Push
national-security18 days ago

US Water Grids Under Cyber Threat as Iranian, Other Hacks Prompt Regulation Push

The Washington Post reports a suspected Iranian cyberattack on a Minnesota water system, tying it to broader concerns about U.S. water infrastructure being vulnerable to hacking. The piece notes prior incidents (including a Guam water-system breach attributed to China) and describes lawmakers’ calls for protections, including an EPA cybersecurity rule that has faced legal hurdles, with experts warning that water utilities remain a low-hanging target for intruders.

via The Washington Post|
#cybersecurity#epa-regulation#iran
Cyberattacks Reveal Weak Links in America's Water System
energy-and-climate22 days ago

Cyberattacks Reveal Weak Links in America's Water System

Suspected Iran-linked cyberattacks are highlighting chronic gaps in the United States’ drinking-water systems, which are fragmented and aging and increasingly stressed by climate risks. Utilities—particularly smaller ones—struggle with staffing and funding to boost cybersecurity while also upgrading aging pipes, with the EPA identifying vulnerabilities at 277 systems last year. The American Water Works Association is pushing for nationwide minimum cybersecurity standards and federal support as authorities balance cyber defense with infrastructure modernization amid a changing climate.

via Axios|
#climate-resilience#cybersecurity#energy-and-climate
Hackers Hit America's Tap Water: A Wake-Up Call for Local Infrastructure
technology22 days ago

Hackers Hit America's Tap Water: A Wake-Up Call for Local Infrastructure

A coordinated cyberattack briefly disrupted dozens of Minnesota water utilities and other states by breaching internet-connected controls at local plants, likely part of a broader Iranian operation. The incident exposed long-standing vulnerabilities in aging, under-resourced, small-town water systems and the ease with which PLCs can be accessed with weak or no passwords. While no deaths or widespread service loss occurred and taps remained drinkable, experts warn of greater risk and urge better cybersecurity, information sharing, and the possibility of unplugging critical controls from the internet to prevent future breaches.

via vox.com|
#critical-infrastructure#cyberattack#programmable-logic-controllers
Coordinated cyberattacks disrupt U.S. water utilities across 12 states
technology24 days ago

Coordinated cyberattacks disrupt U.S. water utilities across 12 states

A broad cyber campaign has hit local water systems in at least 12 states, causing degraded operations, pressure losses, and boil-water advisories in some areas, though drinking water remains safe. Officials point to vulnerable, internet-connected devices and long-standing underfunding of utility cybersecurity; attribution to Iran-linked actors is suspected by some, but not confirmed, as utilities increasingly shift to manual controls while defenses are strengthened.

via Axios|
#critical-infrastructure#cybersecurity#fbi
Tiny Colorado town declared abandoned as water system falters
local28 days ago

Tiny Colorado town declared abandoned as water system falters

Hartman, Colo., a town of 30 in southeast Colorado, has been declared abandoned after all elected officials resigned, leaving no one to operate a failing water system. State officials say the town cannot fix water infrastructure or hold elections, and residents face a boil advisory and non-potable water. The abandonment order shifts ownership of local streets to the county and transfers water infrastructure to an entity focused on water treatment or delivery.

via Fox News|
#abandoned-town#hartman-colorado#local
Federal warning: Hackers now targeting U.S. water systems, Minnesota among those affected
technology29 days ago

Federal warning: Hackers now targeting U.S. water systems, Minnesota among those affected

U.S. federal agencies warn of a rise in cyberattacks on water systems, with more than 30 Minnesota facilities impacted. Attackers are compromising internet-facing PLCs to disrupt water production and distribution, though drinking water safety has not yet been breached; authorities urge operators to disconnect internet exposure, enforce strong passwords, and allow remote access only through a VPN or gateway. Attribution remains uncertain, though some officials point to Iranian-style patterns. Upgrading aging systems is costly, potentially driving funding needs and new cybersecurity rules from lawmakers.

via 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS|
#cisa#cybersecurity#fbi
Coordinated cyberattack hits 30+ Minnesota water systems
technology1 month ago

Coordinated cyberattack hits 30+ Minnesota water systems

More than 30 Minnesota water systems were targeted in a coordinated cyberattack on July 26–27. Four cities disclosed impacts, but officials say drinking water remained safe and residents were not asked to change usage; Minnesota IT Services activated its incident-response efforts and is coordinating with federal and private partners to investigate and strengthen critical infrastructure security.

via FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul|
#critical-infrastructure#cyberattack#incident-response
Desalination plant hit as US-Iran strikes widen across the Gulf
world1 month ago

Desalination plant hit as US-Iran strikes widen across the Gulf

Escalating US-Iran strikes have damaged critical water and power infrastructure in Iran and Kuwait. A US strike hit a desalination plant in Bonji, disrupting drinking water for about 10,000 people in 20 Iranian villages, while Iran attacked Kuwaiti energy facilities, prompting talk of civilian hardship amid a scorching heatwave. Both sides pressed on with strikes against military targets, the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, and Tehran says it is suspending parts of prior commitments as the ceasefire framework collapses.

via NBC News|
#iran#kuwait#power-infrastructure
Desalination under fire as Iran-Kuwait clash widens Gulf flare-up
world1 month ago

Desalination under fire as Iran-Kuwait clash widens Gulf flare-up

Iran launched a fresh round of strikes on Washington’s Gulf allies after the United States bombed Iran for a seventh consecutive night following the collapse of a ceasefire deal. Both Iran and Kuwait said the attacks hit desalination plants, a crucial water source; Kuwait reported a fire at a power and desalination plant, with desalination supplying about 90% of its drinking water. Tasnim quoted authorities saying about 10,000 people could face water shortages after a U.S. strike on a desalination facility. U.S. Central Command said it had hit surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities. Bahrain and Jordan intercepted several strikes, and the ceasefire agreed in June was declared over by Trump last week.

via politico.eu|
#desalination#iran#kuwait
Texas GOP Faces a Data Center Dilemma as Growth Clashes with Rural Concerns
technology3 months ago

Texas GOP Faces a Data Center Dilemma as Growth Clashes with Rural Concerns

Texas Republicans are divided over rapid AI data-center growth led by OpenAI’s Stargate, with Abbott and Trump backing Texas as a data-center hub while rural voters worry about water use and grid strain; lawmakers debate county-level regulation versus statewide guidelines as industry lobbying and political donations surge ahead of the next session and midterm elections.

via The Texas Tribune|
#data-centers#openai-stargate#regulation
Trump Veto Blocks Colorado Water Pipeline, Leaving GOP Perplexed
politics7 months ago

Trump Veto Blocks Colorado Water Pipeline, Leaving GOP Perplexed

Trump’s first veto of his second term blocked a Boebert-backed bill to finance finishing the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a decades-long project to bring safe drinking water to about 50,000 people in southeastern Colorado, leaving residents and Republicans puzzled about the veto amid a history of an unfinished pipeline dating back to JFK.

via The New York Times|
#arkansas-valley-conduit#colorado-water#lauren-boebert