Critical US water systems are being targeted by China and Iran State Department warns

Water-system

Important Takeaways:

  • The Biden administration is warning states to be on guard for cyberattacks against water systems, citing ongoing threats from hackers linked to the governments of Iran and China.
  • “Disabling cyberattacks are striking water and wastewater systems throughout the United States,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan wrote in a letter to governors made public Tuesday. “These attacks have the potential to disrupt the critical lifeline of clean and safe drinking water, as well as impose significant costs on affected communities.”
  • Hackers affiliated with the Iranian Government Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have attacked drinking water systems, while a People’s Republic of China state-sponsored group, Volt Typhoon, has compromised information technology of drinking water and other critical infrastructure systems, the letter warned.
  • “Federal departments and agencies assess with high confidence that Volt Typhoon actors are pre-positioning themselves to disrupt critical infrastructure operations in the event of geopolitical tensions and/or military conflicts,” said the letter.

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Drought Could Cut Water To Brazil’s Largest City

A drought that has been called the “worst to hit Brazil’s biggest city in decades” is threatening to collapse the city’s water system.

Sao Paulo water utility company Sabesp says that unless they move now to a five days off, two days on system for providing water, the Cantareia water system will collapse.

Sao Paulo is Brazil’s richest state and economic hub.  Officials are concerned the lack of water will have a significant negative impact on the region’s and the nation’s economy as businesses will begin to relocate to other areas and countries.

The biggest impact would be on industrial factories that rely on large scale water supplies to produce goods.

The utility says the Cantareria is at 5.1% of capacity of 264 billion gallons due to the drought.

The state has been attempting to rush projects to bring extra water into the Cantareia system but the projects are well behind schedule.