The proposed Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act of 2023 would allot $7.5 million dollars per year to securing critical infrastructure. The bill was announced in the House by Representatives Don Davis (NC-01), Zachary Nunn (IA-03), Angie Craig (MN-02), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), and U.S. House Committee on Agriculture members. The bill specifically focuses on small water utilities that service populations under 10,000.
Rep. Nunn stated that Iowa’s water supply could be devastated by a single cyberattack and that rural communities are especially vulnerable. Cybersecurity measures are often cost-prohibitive for smaller municipalities. The annual $7.5 million would be dispersed under the US Department of Agriculture’s Circuit Rider program for the next 5 years. Experts remain concerned that this amount of funding is not nearly enough to secure rural critical infrastructure nationwide. To prevent breaches, security professionals advise against using personal devices on utility premises and closely monitoring remote access and the OT environment.
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