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Committee makes drinking water cybersecurity bill a committee measure after briefing on recent attacks
Summary
Representative Jack presented a bill requiring water system cyber plans and two‑hour breach reporting; the division of drinking water described recent local and national incidents and said faster reporting helps recovery and response; the committee voted to make the measure a committee bill.
SALT LAKE CITY — Lawmakers moved to make a drinking water cybersecurity bill a committee measure after a presentation from Representative Andrew Jack and Nathan Lundstedt, director of the Division of Drinking Water, who described local breaches and the need for faster reporting and coordinated response.
Representative Jack said the bill requires community water systems to have cybersecurity and emergency response plans and to report cyber breaches to state authorities so the state can marshal resources to help recovery. He told the committee the bill synchronizes population thresholds used elsewhere in code and adds statutory reporting requirements tied to the division’s emergency response responsibilities.
Director Lundstedt told the committee ‘‘many of our water systems are being attacked every day’’ and described examples that include a small Emery County system whose operators did not report a cyber incident quickly enough to recover funds, and a larger system that was locked out, forcing manual operations and affecting city services. Lundstedt said faster reporting gives the FBI, state cyber center and the Division of Drinking Water a better chance to stop attacks and recover funds and data.
Why it matters: water systems perform safety‑critical treatment and financial functions; agency witnesses said attacks can lock operators out of control systems, change operational parameters or disrupt billing and other administrative systems. When controls are lost, agencies said, systems must often operate manually but may lack staff and procedures to do so for sustained periods.
Representative Albrecht moved to make the drinking water cybersecurity measure a committee bill; the motion passed unanimously on voice vote. Committee chairs said the bill will be pursued as a committee measure for further drafting and public consideration.
The Division of Drinking Water said the bill includes a two‑hour breach reporting requirement and that the division has coordinated with the state cyber center to ensure incidents are simultaneously reported to federal and state responders. Lundstedt said the division will use reports to share lessons learned and help other systems prepare. The committee concluded with the bill advanced as a committee measure.
