“NRWA takes cybersecurity very seriously, and is committed to raising the bar for awareness, education and support for water professionals.” — Matt Holmes, NRWA CEO
There are more than 145,000 active public water systems in the United States (including territories). Of these, 97% are considered small systems under the Safe Drinking Water Act, meaning they serve 10,000 or fewer people.
In the field of cybersecurity, guidance is often too complex or difficult to act. Experts provide lists of 20 or more points that need to be investigated, and many of these require specialist skills. Specialist service providers are often driven by their own business interests, focusing their services on technology at the expense of people and process. NRWA will focus on simple guidance and practical steps that will help all members better manage their cybersecurity risk.
NRWA is developing a plan for a comprehensive continuous cyber education program that will help all small and rural water and wastewater systems better manage their cybersecurity risk, by: