Tag Archive for: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

US EPA Report Cites Cybersecurity Flaws in Drinking Water Systems, Flags Disruption Risks and Lack of Incident Reporting

/in , /by /Industrial Cyberby Anna Ribeiro

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General released a report on cybersecurity concerns in drinking water systems. As part of its continued oversight of the EPA’s role as a sector risk management agency, the office revealed that passive assessment of cybersecurity vulnerabilities was conducted on drinking water systems with populations served of 50,000 people or greater. The findings revealed exploitable cybersecurity weaknesses that could disrupt service, cause data loss, or lead to information theft.

Furthermore, while attempting to notify the EPA about the cybersecurity vulnerabilities, the OIG found that the EPA does not have its ‘cybersecurity incident reporting system’ that water and wastewater systems could use to notify the EPA of cybersecurity incidents.

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Key Takeaways from the U.S. EPA’s Third Annual PFAS Roadmap

/in , /by /Water World

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on November 14, 2024, that they have released their third annual progress report on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

“EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap: Three Years of Progress” highlights the achievements the agency has made under its PFAS Strategic Roadmap and the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government strategy to protect communities from the impacts of the contaminants.

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US EPA Report Cites Cybersecurity Flaws in Drinking Water Systems, Flags Disruption Risks and Lack of Incident Reporting

/in , /by /Industrial Cyberby Anna Ribeiro

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General released a report on cybersecurity concerns in drinking water systems. As part of its continued oversight of the EPA’s role as a sector risk management agency, the office revealed that passive assessment of cybersecurity vulnerabilities was conducted on drinking water systems with populations served of 50,000 people or greater. The findings revealed exploitable cybersecurity weaknesses that could disrupt service, cause data loss, or lead to information theft.

Furthermore, while attempting to notify the EPA about the cybersecurity vulnerabilities, the OIG found that the EPA does not have its ‘cybersecurity incident reporting system’ that water and wastewater systems could use to notify the EPA of cybersecurity incidents.

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Is It 100% Safe to Drink Tap Water? Here’s the Truth

/in , , /by /Paradeby Beth Ann Mayer

Staying hydrated is a tried and true tip for staying focused and healthy. But how much does your water source matter? More specifically, is tap water safe to drink? If you just refilled your Stanley with sink water for the second time today, the good news is that in general, the answer is yes.

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‘Forever Chemicals’ Were Everywhere In 2023. Expect More Litigation In 2024

/in , , /by /Reutersby Clark Mindock

Lawsuits accusing major chemical companies of polluting U.S. drinking water with toxic PFAS chemicals led to over $11 billion in settlements in 2023, with experts predicting that new federal regulations and a growing awareness of the breadth of PFAS contamination in the U.S. will spur more litigation and settlements in the year ahead.

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California Water Agency Under Investigation for Discriminating Against Tribes, People of Color

/in , /by /CalMattersby Rachel Becker

The Biden administration’s environmental justice office is investigating whether California’s water agency has discriminated against Native Americans and other people of color by failing to protect the water quality of San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by tribes and environmental justice organizations that says the the state Water Resources Control Board for over a decade “has failed to uphold its statutory duty” to review and update water quality standards in the Bay-Delta.

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Will the Supreme Court Gut the Clean Water Act?

/in , /by /High Country Newsby Jonathan Thompson

If you want to cross the Rillito River in Tucson, Arizona, anytime between October and July, you probably won’t need a boat, a bridge, waders or even waterproof shoes. During most of the year, the river is an arroyo, a curvy strip of dry sand that holds no more than the memory of water: braided serpentine patterns in the sand, erosion-smoothed stones, debris wrapped around the trunks of the few hardy deciduous trees.

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Vallecitos Videos Shared Nationwide by EPA WaterSense

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Videos produced by the Vallecitos Water District public affairs team are now being distributed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program to help educate the public about water conservation nationwide. The videos can be downloaded for free on the EPA WaterSense partner platform.

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Toxic Blue-Green Algae That Can Kill Dogs Spotted in California. How to Identify and Avoid It

/in , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Hanh Truong

With temperatures heating up, it might be tempting to take a dip in the river or let your dog dehydrate at the shore after a walk, but you might want to think twice.

Toxic blue-green algae, known for causing negative health effects in people and animals who’ve been exposed to it, has bloomed in central California at the San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, according to a release from Department of Water Resources on May 31.

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EPA Delivers on Three Water Commitments in the Agency’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap

/in , /by /EPA

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing three actions to protect communities and the environment from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in our nation’s waters. The actions announced today advance progress under the Biden-⁠Harris Administration’s Plan to Combat PFAS Pollution by improving methods to detect PFAS in water, reducing PFAS discharges into our nation’s waters, and protecting fish and aquatic ecosystems from PFAS. These efforts complement the historic investment of $10 billion to address PFAS and emerging contaminants secured under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

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