EPA Steers $11.75 Million To Protect Drinking Water From Hackers And Extreme Storms

September 1, 2026

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $11.75 million in federal grant money on Monday to help midsize and large drinking water utilities upgrade their defenses against online hackers and increasingly severe weather events.

The money comes through the agency’s Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability grant program. In total, 10 projects across six states are slated to receive funding, targeting utilities that serve populations of 10,000 residents or more.

The awards follow a surge in cyberattacks against municipal utilities nationwide, including recent breaches that affected more than 100 drinking water and wastewater operations across 12 states.

At the same time, regional water providers face persistent operational risks from environmental disasters such as wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and severe heat waves.

“American families, businesses, and schools rely on their local drinking water system to provide clean and safe water, day-in and day-out. Cyberattacks, wildfires, flooding, and other hazards represent a significant risk to water system operations, and EPA provides vital support to help increase resiliency to such threats,” EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer said. “With over $11 million in grant funding, EPA is helping ten drinking water systems strengthen their resilience to these risks while advancing best practices within the water sector. This funding is just one part of the equation and complements the agency’s technical assistance work and partnership with federal agencies, states, and the water sector to address cyberattacks and natural hazards.”

The federal agency selected the 10 recipients through a competitive application process. Grants will be officially distributed once each project meets final administrative and legal reviews.

The selected recipients and their planned projects include:

City of Bloomington, Indiana ($2,375,000): Facility upgrades, backup generators, and modernizing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) computer systems to withstand severe weather.
City of San Diego, California ($2,375,000): Replacing Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) to eliminate vulnerabilities related to cyber threats and natural hazards.
City of Hemet, California ($1,150,000): Upgrading primary transmission mains and storage tanks to guard against wildfire and extreme heat disruptions.
Denver Water, Colorado ($1,125,000): Dam infrastructure upgrades designed to lower flood risks, guard against wildfire aftermath, and stabilize operations.
City of Bay City, Texas ($1,110,105): Building a new well facility to keep drinking water running during hurricanes and major storms.
City of Orange City, Florida ($1,068,750): Upgrading backup emergency generators and local stormwater systems to handle hurricane impacts.
California-American Water Company in Sacramento, California ($864,500): Purchasing an emergency generator and making physical utility updates to prepare for wildfires.
City of Anderson, California ($804,530): Installing smart monitoring monitors, site security cameras, and replacing water storage tanks to counter wildfire and drought.
City of Coffeyville, Kansas ($687,240): Repairing water treatment plant components and adding a permanent standby generator for extreme weather events.
City of Lake City, Florida ($189,875): Updating pump controls and digital SCADA architecture to block cyber intrusions.

The funding builds on wider federal efforts launched over the past two years to identify weak spots in municipal utilities. In 2025, EPA inspectors flagged cybersecurity issues at 277 water utilities nationwide, coordinating with operators to install stricter access rules and updated authentication protocols. Federal officials continue to supply technical guidance, system assessments, and planning toolkits directly to utility operators through the agency’s water security program.