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WaterOperator.org Blog

Build Your Own Cybersecurity Awareness Month Campaign

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The recent increase in cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure has reinforced the growing importance of cybersecurity across the water and wastewater sector. As utilities continue to adopt connected technologies to improve operations, treatment processes, and system monitoring, they also face a growing threat landscape. Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT concern. It is a shared responsibility that requires awareness from every member of your organization. Taking prompt action against suspected cyber threats helps safeguard essential services, protect sensitive data, and ensure the continued delivery of clean water and wastewater treatment services to the communities we serve.

This October, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), invites organizations to take proactive steps to strengthen their cyber defenses with the theme, "Securing the Next 250." This campaign emphasizes that organizations supporting critical infrastructure play a vital role in strengthening national resilience against cyber threats to ensure a secure digital future for the nation. For water and wastewater utilities, that means focusing on foundational cybersecurity practices such as training employees to recognize phishing attempts, requiring strong passwords and multifactor authentication, maintaining up-to-date software, backing up critical data, and preparing for potential disruptions through effective incident response planning.

CISA reminds us that no organization is too small to be a target and that every organization connected to critical infrastructure has a role to play in protecting essential services. Cybersecurity Awareness Month provides an opportunity to reinforce security best practices, engage employees in ongoing cybersecurity education, and evaluate where additional safeguards may be needed. By making cybersecurity a year-round priority, water and wastewater professionals can help strengthen operational resilience, reduce risk, and ensure reliable service for the customers and communities who depend on them every day.

This year, CISA has provided a toolkit to help organizations build their own Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaigns.

Other organizations outside of CISA have created cybersecurity resources that can be useful for water and wastewater systems in protecting their utility. A great resource we'd like to highlight comes from WSU Environmental Finance Center in the form of a video titled: "Protect Your Utility: Cybersecurity Tips for Water and Wastewater Systems" (below). This video features "Michelle Dehaven, a Senior Program Manager at the Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University, as she explains a few tips for keeping even the smallest system protected from random cybersecurity threats. In this video, Michelle helps you understand the potential impacts of a cybersecurity incident and how you can take simple steps to build a baseline of protection." The video will cover: what cybersecurity is, the potential impacts a cyber incident could have on your utility, and some no-cost to low-cost ways to reduce that risk. The video also highlights the following additional resources to help you build your own risk and resilience plan:

Do you have questions or need help with your utility's cyber-awareness, reach out to the EFCN for technical assistance and training support. Get help at: https://efcnetwork.org/get-help/

October 2, 2026 By Katelyn McLaughlin Emergency Response, Security CISA, cyber, cyber attacks, cyberattacks, cybersecurity, cybersecurity awareness month 0 0 Comment Read More »

Resilience and Emergency Preparedness Resources for Wastewater Utilities | Recorded on September 24, 2026

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In this recording of our live webinar "Resilience and Emergency Preparedness Resources for Wastewater Utilities," viewers will be introduced to publicly available resources for wastewater utilities that support emergency preparedness and resilience. The session also includes a demonstration of our free search tools at WaterOperator.org to find additional free resources and training events.

This webinar series from WaterOperator.org covers topics relevant to wastewater operators, including funding, asset management, compliance, and water quality. Certificates of attendance will be delivered upon request to live attendees but are not available for watching this replay.

Recordings of our previous webinars:

September 28, 2026 By Katelyn McLaughlin Asset Management, Emergency Response, Utility Management, Wastewater, WaterOperator.org emergency preparedness, emergency response, free resources, resilience, waste water, wastewater, wastewater utilities 0 0 Comment Read More »

GIS Resources for POTW Asset Management | Recorded on September 8, 2026

Graphic for the recording of WaterOperator.org's webinar

In this recording of our live webinar "GIS Resources for POTW Asset Management," viewers will be introduced to how GIS can serve as a powerful asset management tool for public-owned treatment works (POTWs) and wastewater utilities. The webinar also reviews publicly available resources for developing asset inventories, collecting field data, and building maps. Finally, we demo the search tools on WaterOperator.org.

This webinar series from WaterOperator.org covers topics relevant to wastewater operators, including funding, asset management, compliance, and water quality. Certificates of attendance will be delivered upon request to live attendees but are not available for watching this replay. 

Recordings of our previous webinars:

September 10, 2026 By Laura Schultz Asset Management, Financial Management, Technology, Utility Management, Wastewater asset management, geographic information system, GIS, GIS resources, POTW, utility management, wastewater, wastewater operators, wastewater treatment, wastewater utility, wastewater webinar, webinar 0 0 Comment Read More »

EPA Releases a Checklist to Help States Identify and Address Drinking Water System Risks

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a guidance document designed to help state drinking water programs proactively identify and address challenges that could threaten the reliability and safety of public water systems. The checklist, announced on August 13, 2026, is intended to strengthen collaboration between EPA and state primacy agencies while supporting ongoing compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

The checklist provides a practical framework for identifying systemic issues and underlying conditions that may not pose an immediate threat but could eventually disrupt service or compromise water quality if left unresolved. Examples include source water demands approaching system capacity, malfunctioning treatment equipment, recurring water main breaks, and other operational vulnerabilities. According to EPA, many of these concerns can be identified and addressed during sanitary surveys before they develop into larger public health or reliability risks.

EPA developed this resource to complement existing sanitary survey programs and emphasizes that the checklist is designed to fit within current survey processes rather than to create new regulatory requirements or administrative burdens. The guidance includes tools for documenting systemic concerns and recommendations for tracking issues through long-term resolution.

The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA), which partnered with EPA in developing the guidance, welcomed the new resource. ASDWA's Executive Director, Anthony DeRosa, noted that proactive system management is a key component of utility resilience and that the checklist offers state agencies and utilities a structured approach for identifying emerging risks, strengthening sanitary survey programs, and supporting continuous improvement across water systems of all sizes.

For water utilities, this new checklist reinforces the growing emphasis on preventative asset management, resilience planning, and early risk identification. By helping states and utilities systematically track operational concerns before they escalate, the guidance aims to support reliable service delivery, protect public health, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of drinking water systems.

The Checklist for Identifying Systemic Issues at Public Water Systems and Reporting to EPA document is highlighted on the EPA’s sanitary survey page as well as on the EPA’s SDWA capacity development state resources webpage.

September 2, 2026 By Katelyn McLaughlin Asset Management, Capacity Development, Financial Management, Utility Management capacity development, Real Water TA, sanitary surveys, technical assistance 0 0 Comment Read More »

NRWA Launches the Water Watch Center to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Rural Utilities

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In response to growing cyber threats targeting U.S. water infrastructure, the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) and DEF CON Franklin have launched the Water Watch Center (WWC), a new initiative designed to help small water and wastewater utilities defend against cyberattacks. The announcement was made at the DEF CON cybersecurity conference in Las Vegas on August 7.

The Water Watch Center will provide direct cybersecurity support to utilities serving fewer than 10,000 people, which represent approximately 91% of the nation's community water systems. The program aims to strengthen cyber defenses, improve threat detection, and help utilities respond to security incidents before they impact operations and public health.

Five cybersecurity firms have joined the effort, including Defendify, Legato Security, L1 Secure, Rapid7, and Sentinel Technologies. These partners will collaborate by sharing threat intelligence, security updates, and best practices through a centralized network coordinated by NRWA.

The initiative builds on a two-year project led by DEF CON Franklin that connected nearly 450 volunteer cybersecurity professionals with water and wastewater systems in several states. Lessons learned from those efforts highlighted the need for a scalable cybersecurity support model tailored to small and rural utilities.

In addition to the Water Watch Center, NRWA continues to provide cybersecurity resources, training, advisories, and technical assistance through its National Rural Water Cybersecurity Center. The association is also advocating for a federal Cybersecurity Circuit Rider Program to bring on-the-ground cybersecurity expertise directly to rural utilities.

As cyberattacks against critical infrastructure become more frequent and sophisticated, the Water Watch Center offers rural water systems access to specialized expertise and coordinated support to help protect essential water and wastewater services.

Further Reading...

August 19, 2026 By Katelyn McLaughlin Emergency Response, Security cyberattacks, cybersecurity, cybersecurity support 0 0 Comment Read More »

Communication Strategies for Wastewater Compliance and Building Public Trust | Recorded on July 30, 2026

Promotional graphic for the recording of the WaterOperator.org webinar

In this recording of our live webinar "Communication Strategies for Wastewater Compliance and Building Public Trust," viewers will receive a refresh on public notification requirements for wastewater utilities and a practical overview of communication strategies that wastewater utilities can use to build public trust. The webinar also reviews publicly available resources to support the development of communications at wastewater utilities and demos the search tools on WaterOperator.org.

This webinar series from WaterOperator.org covers topics relevant to wastewater operators, including funding, asset management, compliance, and water quality. Certificates of attendance will be delivered upon request to live attendees but are not available for watching this replay. 

Recordings of our previous webinars:

July 31, 2026 By Laura Schultz Compliance Monitoring, Public Education, Sanitary Sewers, Utility Management, Wastewater biosolid land application, combined sewer overflow, communication, communication strategy, CSO, NPDES, NPDES compliance, NPDES permitting, NPDES reporting, POTW, public notification, public notification requirements, sanitary sewer overflow, SSO, treatment works, wastewater, wastewater webinar, webinar 0 0 Comment Read More »

Turning Rural Water Infrastructure Funding into Lasting Results

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Access to infrastructure funding remains one of the most significant challenges facing small and rural water systems. A new report from the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) highlights how technical assistance can help communities not only secure funding, but also successfully plan, manage, and sustain critical water and wastewater improvements.

In fiscal year 2025, RCAP and its regional partners provided assistance to 2,622 rural, tribal, and indigenous communities across all 50 states and five U.S. territories, impacting more than 4.1 million residents. The organization's network of more than 400 technical assistance providers works directly with local utilities and community leaders to strengthen technical, managerial, and financial capacity.

The report underscores the scale of infrastructure investment supported through technical assistance. Communities working with RCAP secured over $397 million in infrastructure funding awards and submitted applications for an $835.6 million in additional projects. According to RCAP, hundreds of communities completed technical and financial proposals that positioned them to pursue almost $1 billion in needed water and wastewater infrastructure investments.

Training and workforce development continued to be a major focus. RCAP delivered 567 trainings that reached more than 11,500 participants and 8,100 water systems nationwide. Operators represented the largest group of attendees, and post-training evaluations showed an average 18-point improvement in test scores, indicating meaningful gains in knowledge and skills. More than two-thirds of trainings served utilities with 3,300 connections or fewer. 

The report also highlights how technical assistance helps utilities tackle real-world operational challenges. Examples include assisting the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe in Michigan with service line inventory and GIS mapping, supporting financial sustainability efforts in Coldwater, Mississippi through a rate study and rate adjustment, helping communities improve asset mapping and stormwater management, and guiding tribal and rural systems through complex funding and compliance requirements.

Several new resources developed by RCAP may be of particular interest to water professionals, including guidance on innovative treatment technologies for emerging contaminants like PFAS, a stormwater program management guide for small communities, an asset management primer for utilities, and an e-learning course on cybersecurity for water and wastewater utilities.

A key takeaway from the report is that infrastructure dollars alone are not enough. Rural utilities often need support navigating funding programs, conducting planning studies, improving utility management practices, and building local leadership capacity. RCAP argues that combining infrastructure investment with technical assistance produces more sustainable outcomes, helping communities develop systems that remain compliant, financially viable, and resilient for years to come. 

For water sector professionals, the report serves as a reminder that successful infrastructure projects depend not only on funding availability but also on the technical, managerial, and financial capacity needed to transform investments into long-term community benefits.

Need assistance? 

Small and rural communities can connect with RCAP's network of regional partners for technical assistance related to drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, funding applications, asset management, operator support, utility planning, and more. Learn more and find your regional RCAP partner on RCAP's website.

July 10, 2026 By Katelyn McLaughlin Asset Management, Financial Management, Utility Management, Water News RCAP, rural water systems, technical assistance 0 0 Comment Read More »

Monitoring, Sampling, and Data Management for NPDES Compliance | Recorded on June 30, 2026

Promotional graphic for the recording of the WaterOperator.org webinar

In this recording of our live webinar "Monitoring, Sampling, and Data Management for NPDES Compliance," viewers will receive a practical overview of wastewater monitoring, sampling, and data management as they relate to NPDES permits. We explored common compliance challenges and reviewed best practices for collecting and managing discharge monitoring data. We also reviewed publicly available resources on NPDES compliance and demo our search tools on WaterOperator.org.

This webinar series from WaterOperator.org covers topics relevant to wastewater operators, including funding, asset management, compliance, and water quality. Certificates of attendance will be delivered upon request to live attendees but are not available for watching this replay. 

 

 

Recordings of our previous webinars:

June 30, 2026 By Laura Schultz Compliance Monitoring, Regulations, Wastewater NPDES, NPDES compliance, NPDES monitoring, NPDES sampling, POTW, treatment works, wastewater, wastewater monitoring, wastewater sampling, wastewater treatment, wastewater webinar, webinar 0 0 Comment Read More »

The Latest in FOG News

Hot grease being poured directly from a cooking pan down the drain of a kitchen sink.

It’s long been known that the place to dispose of fats, oil, and grease for private individuals or small businesses is not down the kitchen sink or other plumbing, whether that plumbing is connected to a sewer system or a septic system. And yet, the issue of FOG (fats, oil, and grease) clogging up wastewater systems remains a worldwide issue. 

For those involved in the wastewater field, the unpleasant reality of FOG buildup and the massive fatbergs it can lead to is part of day-to-day life, and it probably isn’t something anyone wants to spend more time thinking about than necessary. But widely sharing the stories of why FOG pollution is such an issue might be one of the best things we can do to help homeowners and industries to reverse the tide of inappropriate substances flushing into wastewater systems. And, as technology advances, more and more technological solutions for FOG management are being explored!

In this post, we’ve collected links to recent news stories covering FOG challenges in municipal sewer systems, both domestically and internationally. Consider sharing them with people you meet who might not know why they shouldn’t put bacon grease down the drain or flush their wet wipes, and find some hope in the pursuit of technological fixes!

What are fatbergs and why are they a problem?

Recent FOG stories in the United States

“Supersized” 2026 fatberg in Sydney

Fatbergs in London

Solutions on the rise

Prior coverage of FOG at the WaterOperator.org blog

 

June 23, 2026 By Laura Schultz Public Education, Sanitary Sewers, Wastewater, Water News fatbergs, fats, fats oil grease, FOG, FOG management, grease, oil, sewer systems, wastewater, wastewater management, wastewater news, wastewater systems 0 0 Comment Read More »

The Bureau of Reclamation's Drought Response Program

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The Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Drought Response Program helps communities take a proactive approach to drought by funding projects that strengthen long-term water resilience. The program supports a wide range of efforts, including infrastructure improvements to increase storage and distribution capacity, diversification of water supplies, development of management tools, and comprehensive drought planning.

A key component of the program is support for drought contingency planning, which helps water systems better understand and prepare for future drought conditions. These planning efforts guide communities through identifying early warning signs of drought, assessing hydrologic risks and uncertainties, evaluating potential impacts, and determining actions to reduce vulnerability. The process is designed to be collaborative and inclusive, bringing together municipal, agricultural, environmental, and other stakeholders to develop practical, locally driven solutions.

The program also funds drought resiliency projects that implement these plans through on-the-ground improvements. Eligible projects include infrastructure upgrades such as new conveyance systems, expanded storage, and modified intake structures, as well as the development of decision-support tools like drought forecasting systems and enhanced water monitoring equipment. In addition, under separate authorities, emergency response actions may be supported during acute drought events, including temporary water supply solutions and short-term construction activities to reduce immediate impacts.

In addition to long-term resiliency projects, the program can also fund short-term emergency response actions for unexpected drought conditions. Currently, a funding opportunity is open through July 28, 2026, offering support for both drought contingency planning and on-the-ground resilience projects, as part of ongoing federal investments to help water systems better prepare for and respond to drought challenges.

Resources:

For More Information: 

June 19, 2026 By Katelyn McLaughlin Funding, Sustainability drought, funding, water resilience 0 0 Comment Read More »