The Federal Cyber Agency Is Telling US Water Operators to Pull Their Control Systems Off the Internet as Fast as Possible

by · Thought Catalog
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect/Mark Henle/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

News

By Jerome London

Updated 7 minutes ago, August 2, 2026

The nation’s top cybersecurity authority has issued an urgent directive to water utilities across the country: disconnect their control systems from the internet as quickly as they can.

The warning comes as hackers have locked water operators out of their own systems, forcing boil-water notices and manual operations in at least seven states.

Some utilities reported loss of pressure and flooding as a result of the intrusions.

Thanks for reading. Follow Thought Catalog on Facebook for more stories like this, or explore our website.