New York State this week opened for public suggestions proposed laws specializing in the cybersecurity of water and wastewater methods.
Launched by the New York State Division of Well being (DOH) and New York State Division of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the paperwork suggest minimal requirements for bettering water infrastructure’s resilience towards refined cyberattacks.
Moreover, the Division of Public Service (DPS) launched proposed cyber laws masking water-works firms, cable tv firms, and different public utilities.
The proposed guidelines are accompanied by a brand new grant program established by the Environmental Amenities Company (EFC) alongside technical help for water and wastewater utilities.
DOH, DEC, and EFC labored collectively to align definitions and provisions inside their necessities, and to make sure that the laws are aligned with CISA and Environmental Safety Company steering on securing IT and OT environments.
Per the proposed guidelines, water and wastewater utilities will probably be required to implement cybersecurity controls, to make sure they’ve environment friendly community monitoring and logging, and to guage dangers inside their environments.
They will even need to implement and preserve incident response plans to make sure they’ll proceed operations within the occasion of a cyberattack, and to report incidents, whereas licensed wastewater operators will probably be required to bear necessary cybersecurity coaching.
Copies of the proposed paperwork have been printed on DEC’s web site. events are required to submit feedback by September 3, 2025. DOH and PSC will settle for suggestions till September 14, 2025.Commercial. Scroll to proceed studying.
“As soon as adopted, regulated entities may have till January 1, 2027 to adjust to DEC and DOH laws centered on operational know-how and till January 1, 2026 to adjust to PSC laws centered on data know-how,” New York State says.
“These sources streamline and spotlight key sector-specific steering, instruments, and coaching to assist regulated wastewater services improve their cyber resilience,” DEC notes.
Water and wastewater services are additionally inspired to benefit from the varied federal and state sources and coaching alternatives, together with free cybersecurity assessments, which are obtainable for them.
The water sector has usually been focused by menace actors in recent times and the US authorities has been taking steps to assist services increase their cyberattack preparedness and resilience.
“Cyberattacks on essential infrastructure can have devastating impacts on communities, and we should act now to defend our water and wastewater methods with the identical urgency and rigor we carry to different essential sectors. These new laws and grant applications replicate our dedication to defending public well being and security whereas serving to under-resourced entities modernize for a digital age,” Governor Kathy Hochul stated.
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