It has happened again. Another water utility has been hacked. A number of sources (CNBC, CBS, CNN) have reported that the nation’s largest water utility, American Water has been hacked. American Water manages more than 500 water and wastewater systems in about 1,700 communities across at least 14 states, including California.
American Water has announced it is back online. Further, American Water says it has no indication that its water and wastewater facilities were impacted by this incident. It also says that water quality was not affected.
The attack was first reported in an 8K filing with the SEC on October 3rd. American Water appeared to recover by October 10th, according to a statement released by the company.
The attack appeared to cause network outages, rendering both American Water’s billing portal, MyWater, and its internal phone network inoperative, according to cyberSecurity publication Dark Reading.
This is by no means the first attack on a water system this year. As has been written about on this site, there have been attacks in Texas, Hawaii, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. Moreover, there have been new cybersecurity guidelines issued for water systems by DHS, and more security called for by the EPA.
Valley Water needs a Director who understands the nature of the cybersecurity threat. Bill Roth is that candidate who brings years of experience in both technology and cybersecurity, and can ask the right questions to ensure our water systems remain safe.
For more information, check out Fast Facts about Bill Roth.
One of the questions we receive frequently in this campaign is “What is Valley Water?”. Simply put, Valley Water is Santa Clara County’s local integrated water services agency. This means that it has several specific roles involving water in our county as part of its core missions. For the most part, Valley Water is the “water wholesaler” in the county. This means that it manages the county’s water resources, and then sells that water to entities that sell that water to you, like San Jose Water and the City of Santa Clara.
Valley Water is unique among water agencies in that it has three principal goals: First, to supply water to the people of Santa Clara County; Second, to provide flood control for the county; Third, to protect and preserve the environment on land it owns. We’ll cover these in order.
Valley Water supplies water to over 2 million residents and 15 cities in Santa Clara County, managing a vast network of infrastructure including 10 dams, reservoirs, 3 treatment plants, and over 150 miles of pipelines. They have a stated commitment to sustainability which extends to diverse water sources, including recycled water, surface water, and groundwater extraction from local aquifers. For more information on where Valley Water gets its water, check out Where Does My Water Come From?.
Flood Protection
The Water District takes a proactive approach to flood prevention. They operate flood detention basins and maintain over 800 miles of waterways to protect communities from natural disasters. Their projects, like the Upper Guadalupe River Flood Protection project, aim to restore habitats while ensuring safety and flood resilience for businesses, homes, and schools. You can read more about the Stream Maintenance Program here.
Through watershed management and habitat restoration initiatives, Valley Water safeguards five major watersheds in Santa Clara County, preserving habitats for endangered species like the Red-legged Frog and Steelhead Trout. Its dedication to environmental protection ensures the longevity of our region’s ecosystems.
Addressing Challenges
There are a number of challenges facing water resource agencies in the western United States. These include avoiding over-extraction, adapting to climate change, and educating the community about its work and also about the incentives it can offer to improve conservation and water usage.
Over-Extraction Mitigation
Recognizing the challenges of over-extraction, we’re committed to managing groundwater sustainably to prevent land subsidence and ensure a reliable water supply for future generations. Our efforts include monitoring water levels, implementing conservation measures, and promoting responsible water use.
Climate Change Adaptation
In response to climate change impacts such as droughts and severe weather events, Valley Water has developed the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP). This comprehensive strategy focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding renewable energy, and enhancing water supply and flood protection measures to build resilience in our community.
Community Engagement and Education
One major challenge is teaching residents of the county what the Valley Water does. Valley Water with the community through educational programs, virtual events, and school initiatives to promote water conservation, environmental stewardship, and public health. In addition, there are marketing programs to let residents know about the various rebates that exist for things like landscape conversion, conservation, and rainwater capture.
In summary, Valley Water is Santa Clara County’s $900 Million/year1 integrated water service agency. As a public agency seprate from the County of Santa Clara, it has a three-part mandate of ensuring water supply, flood protection, and environmental stewardship of creeks and watersheds. It is the “water wholesaler” for the county, which means it manages the counties public water related resources, and sells water to retailers, like San Jose Water, who in turn, sell it to you, the consumer.
I am running for a seat on the Board of Directors for Valley Water to make sure we keep water rates as low as possible, and to deliver safe and clean water to Santa Clara County for generations to come. For more information about my campaign, sign up for our newsletter below.
One of the questions we receive frequently in this campaign is “What is the Santa Clara Valley Water District?”. Simply put, Santa Clara Valley Water District is Santa Clara County’s local integrated water services agency. This means that it has several specific roles involving water in our county as part of its core missions. For the most part, Santa Clara Valley Water District is the “water wholesaler” in the county. This means that it manages the county’s water resources, and then sells that water to entities that sell that water to you, like San Jose Water and the City of Santa Clara.
The Water District is unique among water agencies in that it has three principal goals: First, to supply water to the people of Santa Clara County; Second, to provide flood control for the county; Third, to protect and preserve the environment on land it owns. We’ll cover these in order.
Santa Clara Valley Water District supplies water to over 2 million residents and 15 cities in Santa Clara County, managing a vast network of infrastructure including 10 dams, reservoirs, 3 treatment plants, and over 150 miles of pipelines. They have a stated commitment to sustainability which extends to diverse water sources, including recycled water, surface water, and groundwater extraction from local aquifers. For more information on where Santa Clara Valley Water District gets its water, check out Where Does My Water Come From?.
Flood Protection
The Water District takes a proactive approach to flood prevention. They operate flood detention basins and maintain over 800 miles of waterways to protect communities from natural disasters. Their projects, like the Upper Guadalupe River Flood Protection project, aim to restore habitats while ensuring safety and flood resilience for businesses, homes, and schools. You can read more about the Stream Maintenance Program here.
Through watershed management and habitat restoration initiatives, Valley Water safeguards five major watersheds in Santa Clara County, preserving habitats for endangered species like the Red-legged Frog and Steelhead Trout. Its dedication to environmental protection ensures the longevity of our region’s ecosystems.
Addressing Challenges
There are a number of challenges facing water resource agencies in the western United States. These include avoiding over-extraction, adapting to climate change, and educating the community about its work and also about the incentives it can offer to improve conservation and water usage.
Over-Extraction Mitigation
Recognizing the challenges of over-extraction, we’re committed to managing groundwater sustainably to prevent land subsidence and ensure a reliable water supply for future generations. Our efforts include monitoring water levels, implementing conservation measures, and promoting responsible water use.
Climate Change Adaptation
In response to climate change impacts such as droughts and severe weather events, the District has developed the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP). This comprehensive strategy focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding renewable energy, and enhancing water supply and flood protection measures to build resilience in our community.
Community Engagement and Education
One major challenge is teaching residents of the county what the Water District does. The District engages with the community through educational programs, virtual events, and school initiatives to promote water conservation, environmental stewardship, and public health. In addition, there are marketing programs to let residents know about the various rebates that exist for things like landscape conversion, conservation, and rainwater capture.
In summary, the Santa Clara Valley Water District is Santa Clara County’s $1.4 Billion/year1 integrated water service agency. As a public agency seprate from the County of Santa Clara, it has a three-part mandate of ensuring water supply, flood protection, and environmental stewardship of creeks and watersheds. It is the “water wholesaler” for the county, which means it manages the counties public water related resources, and sells water to retailers, like San Jose Water, who in turn, sell it to you, the consumer.
I am running for a seat on the Board of Directors for the Santa Clara Valley Water District to make sure we keep water rates as low as possible, and to deliver safe and clean water to Santa Clara County for generations to come. For more information about my campaign, sign up for our newsletter below.
in revenue terms, based on the proposed budget for 2025. ↩︎
The threat is real. Small Texas towns have had their water system hacked by a Russian Hacking group. You can find a cluster of news stories here.
In short, a series of cyberattacks targeted small towns in rural Texas, with one incident causing the water system to overflow. The attacks, attributed to a Russian hacktivist group called CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn, aimed at public utilities, raising concerns about the vulnerability of U.S. water systems. I have written about this previously related to hacks in Pennsylvania, and Hawaii.
In Hale Center and Muleshoe, attempts to breach the water systems were thwarted by manual intervention after the cities detected suspicious activity. Similar attacks in Lockney were also prevented. While the incidents didn’t pose immediate dangers, they underscored the need for improved cybersecurity measures in critical infrastructure. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security were notified but declined to comment on ongoing investigations. Both the FBI and DHS issued a warning about potential attacks in March.
Previous attacks on U.S. water facilities, including those attributed to Iranian state groups, prompted calls for stronger cybersecurity measures from government officials. The Environmental Protection Agency urged governors to assess cybersecurity risks and plan for potential cyberattacks on water supplies.
Valley Water needs to have a comprehensive cybersecurity policy. Moreover, it needs someone on the board of directors who understands the issues and the seriousness of the threat. Bill Roth is the candidate the board needs.
CNN reported on March 19th about Biden administration officials highlighting concerns over cyberattacks targeting our nation’s critical water infrastructure. As I’ve discussed previously, reflecting on incidents in Hawaii and Pennsylvania, the threat to our water systems is both real and escalating.
The White House and EPA are now urging governors to bolster cybersecurity measures for water and wastewater systems. This comes amid revelations that many facilities lack fundamental protections against cyber threats, with recent breaches by state-sponsored hackers underscoring the urgency.
In response, a task force has been initiated to pinpoint and address vulnerabilities. However, despite these efforts, challenges remain, particularly with the implementation of regulatory protections.
The Santa Clara Valley Water District deserves a board member who not only recognizes the gravity of these cyber threats but is also prepared to take decisive action. I am confident in my ability to contribute effectively to our Board of Directors, ensuring our community’s water security against these evolving cyber risks. Do you have cybersecurity questions, comments or concerns? Contact me here.
Update 1: March 24th
Newsweek also has a story on this announcement as well. Newsweek covers Iranian cyberattacks in more detail then CNN, and does not mention China. It also mentions the Aliquippa cyberattack, but makes no mention of the recent attach in Hawaii.
