Democratic Senators Adam Schiff of California and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota unveiled the Water Cyber Shield Act on Monday, August 10, 2026, aiming to prevent cyberattacks on the nation's water infrastructure. The bill proposes increasing the drinking water and clean water state revolving funds by $300 million annually to support cybersecurity improvements.

The legislation would empower the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct cybersecurity assessments and mandate corrective actions when necessary. It also requires the EPA to collaborate with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish baseline cybersecurity standards for drinking water systems.

The introduction of the bill follows a coordinated cyberattack last month targeting more than 30 municipal water systems and wastewater operational technologies across Minnesota. Municipalities including Paul, Maple Plain, and Braham reported disruptions such as brief automated shutdowns or pressure loss, which forced some facilities to temporarily switch to manual operations.

Senator Schiff, the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, emphasized the immediacy of the threat, stating, “These threats are not hypothetical — they are happening right now.” He added that the legislation would provide the EPA with necessary tools to protect critical infrastructure while supplying local water and wastewater systems with resources to strengthen cybersecurity without passing costs onto ratepayers.

Senator Klobuchar highlighted the urgency of the issue, saying, “The recent cyberattacks on Minnesota have highlighted the urgent need to improve the security of our water systems and critical infrastructure.”

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