U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) have introduced legislation aimed at strengthening cybersecurity protections for drinking water and wastewater systems following a series of cyberattacks targeting water utilities.

The Water Cyber Shield Act would expand the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to conduct cybersecurity assessments and require corrective actions when significant vulnerabilities are identified. The bill also would authorize an additional $300 million annually for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds to support cybersecurity improvements.

The legislation would require large drinking water and wastewater systems to assess cyber risks as part of existing risk and resilience planning and direct EPA to establish tiered cybersecurity standards in consultation with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, states and water-sector stakeholders.

The bill also would extend federal cyber incident reporting requirements to state and locally owned water and wastewater systems previously exempt from those requirements. Smaller systems would receive additional flexibility and priority for federal financial assistance.

The legislation follows federal warnings about increasing cyber threats to water utilities and seeks to address gaps in EPA’s existing cybersecurity oversight authority.