The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $11.75 million in federal grant funding on August 31, 2026, to help ten midsize and large drinking water systems fortify their infrastructure against cybersecurity threats, severe storms, and extreme weather events.
The newly announced federal money targets vulnerabilities that threaten drinking water safety across multiple states, addressing both digital breaches and physical hazards like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods. According to the agency, the awards flow through the Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability grant program to public water utilities serving populations of 10,000 residents or more, and the funding was competed through a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). EPA anticipates awarding federal grants to these recipients after legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.
Federal Funding Targets Cybersecurity and Extreme Weather at Ten Utilities
Critical water infrastructure faces escalating pressures from both networked intrusions and climate-driven disasters. Cyberattacks on critical water infrastructure have increased significantly, including high-profile attacks this year targeting more than 100 drinking water and wastewater systems across 12 states. At the same time, water infrastructure must have built-in resiliency to withstand natural hazards, such as wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes, and flooding so they can continue their mission to deliver safe water uninterrupted to the communities they serve.
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,said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer. 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 agency’s investment operates alongside ongoing technical assistance and interagency partnerships designed to shore up digital defenses. In 2025, EPA proactively identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities at 277 water systems and worked to fix the issues with individualized solutions ranging from authentication protocols to enforcing strict access controls along with other technical updates and restrictions. This work is continuing today. The agency also released new and updated planning tools that water systems across the country can use to help prevent and respond to cybersecurity incidents. EPA provides free cybersecurity technical assistance, assessments, training, and tools to help systems improve their cyber defenses. These resources, and more, are readily accessible at www.epa.gov/cyberwater.
Allocation Breakdown for State and Municipal Water Projects
The ten selected grant recipients must satisfy legal and administrative requirements before federal funds are officially awarded.
| Recipient Utility | Grant Amount | Project Focus |
|---|---|---|
| City of Lake City, FL | $189,875 | To increase the water system’s resilience to cybersecurity threats by modernizing their Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and pump control system. |
| City of Orange City, FL | $1,068,750 | To increase drinking water system resilience to hurricanes through stormwater infrastructure and generator upgrades. |
| City of Bloomington, IN | $2,375,000 | To increase the water system’s resilience to natural hazards and extreme weather events through facility upgrades, backup generators, and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system upgrades. |
| City of Bay City, TX | $1,110,105 | To increase water well resilience to hurricanes and other extreme events through the construction of a new well facility. |
| City of Coffeyville, KS | $687,240 | To increase drinking water system resilience to extreme weather through water treatment plant repairs and the installation of a standby generator. |
| Denver Water, CO | $1,125,000 | To increase drinking water system resilience to wildfires and extreme weather events through dam infrastructure upgrades that will reduce flood risk and improve operational reliability. |
| City of San Diego, CA | $2,375,000 | To address natural hazard and cybersecurity vulnerabilities through Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) replacement. |
| City of Anderson, CA | $804,530 | To increase drinking water system resilience to drought and wildfire through water tank replacement and the installation of smart water monitoring devices and security cameras. |
| City of Hemet, CA | $1,150,000 | To increase drinking water system resilience to wildfires and extreme heat through storage tank and transmission main upgrades. |
| California-American Water Company, Sacramento, CA | $864,500 | To increase drinking water system resilience to wildfires through water system upgrades and the purchase of an emergency generator. |
These investments represent one part of the agency’s broader strategy to partner with federal agencies, states, and the water sector to strengthen cybersecurity and infrastructure resilience across the country.
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