New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Aug. 3 more than $9 million in cybersecurity grants for 153 local government water and wastewater projects across the state, funding assessments and security upgrades aimed at protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats.
The awards are the inaugural round of the Strengthening Essential Cybersecurity for Utilities and Resiliency Enhancements (SECURE) grant program, according to a press release. The funding will help local governments assess cybersecurity risks and implement protections at drinking water and sewer systems that serve millions of New Yorkers.
“New York is taking action to protect our critical water infrastructure from cyberattacks that could disrupt services and threaten public health and safety,” Hochul said. “As we have seen with recent malicious cyberattacks on water systems across multiple states, these threats are real and escalating. These investments give local governments the tools they need to strengthen their defenses, safeguard essential services, and keep delivering safe, reliable water to New Yorkers.”
The Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC), which administers the program, said the awards span communities of widely varying sizes. Projects include cybersecurity assessments, incident response planning, firewall deployment, penetration testing, and operational technology security improvements.
Recipients range from small municipalities such as the town of Newcomb, whose project covers a population of 300, to Suffolk County and the Suffolk County Water Authority, whose listed project populations exceed 1 million. Awards also include $308,500 to the South Huntington Water District for cybersecurity implementation, $275,000 to Bayville for implementation work, and $150,000 to Niagara County for penetration testing.
The grants are designed to help water and wastewater operators comply with minimum cybersecurity standards New York announced in March. Developed by the state departments of Environmental Conservation and Health, the standards include mandatory cybersecurity training for certified operators, cybersecurity incident reporting requirements, risk-based protections for critical operations and sensitive information, and a requirement for larger drinking water systems to designate a cybersecurity lead.
The standards were developed to align with cybersecurity guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
The cybersecurity awards are part of broader state spending on water infrastructure. New York provided $3.8 billion in financial assistance for local water projects in state fiscal year 2025, including $1.1 billion in grants, and Hochul’s fiscal year 2027 enacted budget includes a five-year, $3.75 billion clean water investment.
