Alexandria, VA – September 30, 2024 – Virginia American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the Commonwealth of Virginia, today announced its participation in American Water Works Association’s (“AWWA”) Annual Source Water Protection Week – September 29 – October 5.
American Water is committed to providing high-quality drinking water while also prioritizing source water protection, which includes:
- Conducting nearly 1 million tests and measurements each year at American Water state-of-the-art research laboratories.
- Application of the most advanced technology, equipment, and filtration processes.
- Constant collaborative work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other state and local agencies to meet or surpass water quality standards and address emerging contaminants so that potential impacts to water quality are minimized.
During Source Water Protection Week, we encourage individuals to take the following actions and incorporate them into their year-round practices:
- Plant landscaping around homes or businesses with more permeable surfaces, such as mulch, that allow water to soak into the ground. Try to limit concrete and asphalt, which contribute to runoff.
- Use native plants that require minimal fertilizer, herbicides and watering.
- Do not over-apply chemicals to plants and avoid application immediately before it rains.
- Plant a rain garden that uses native plants and grasses to capture and absorb rainwater from rooftops and roads. These planned gardens help simplify lawn maintenance, control erosion and reduce runoff into streams and storm water systems.
- Keep litter, pet waste and yard waste out of streets and storm drains. Pet waste contains bacteria that can find its way into waterways through runoff.
- Select non-toxic or less toxic alternatives to typical household products, such as cleaning agents.
- Dispose of pharmaceuticals by taking them to collection sites, where available. Don’t flush them down the toilet!
- Use hazardous waste collection sites and services to dispose of items such as chemicals, paints, motor oil and batteries.
- Report any hazardous material spills, illegal dumping or suspicious activity to local or state authorities.
Another risk that will need attention is the Cyber risk of Rural Water Systems. The shift of Cyber risk from Computer systems to connected operational systems has created serious concerns. Sen King of Maine indicated in a Senate discussion that Rural Water Systems are one of our greatest national security risks.
Use of sensors, monitors, and other control systems are points of entry, particularly if they have conections with other IT management systems. MCGA is a non-profit addressing this issue—I can connect if interested
Sounds like a House 0f Cards Cape Charles has gifted its residents with:
Reuters
“Water utility American Water disconnects computers following ‘cybersecurity incident'”
By Reuters
October 8, 2024
Oct 8 (Reuters) – U.S. water and sewage utility American Water said it has paused billing, yanked its customer service, and disconnected some of its computers following an unspecified “cybersecurity incident.”
In a statement on its webpage, American Water said it learned of “unauthorized activity” on its computer network on Oct. 3 and has since disconnected an unspecified number of systems “to protect our customers’ data and prevent any further harm to our environment.”
The New Jersey-based company, which says it provides service to more than 14 million people in 14 U.S. states, did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the incident.
Although the details of the breach were not disclosed, organizations in the U.S. and abroad have struggled for years to defend against and contain incursions by ransom-seeking cybercriminals, who regularly hack into groups’ computers and encrypt the data to extort vast sums of money in cryptocurrency payments.