AI-generated summary, reviewed by Better Utah staff.

Community water systems across Utah — the utilities that pipe drinking water to homes and businesses — must now complete annual emergency response plans that address cybersecurity threats to their computerized control systems, including requirements to keep software updated, train employees on cybersecurity, conduct vulnerability assessments, and ensure backup manual operation of automated systems. If a security breach occurs, the water system must report it to the Utah Cyber Center within two hours. Emergency response plans are classified as protected records, meaning they are shielded from public records requests to prevent bad actors from exploiting the information. Utahns who rely on community water systems — essentially anyone connected to a municipal or regional water supply — gain a layer of protection against cyberattacks or physical security failures that could contaminate or cut off their drinking water.