S. 1018 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Mar 13, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryCybersecurity help for rural water systems
The bill asks the Department of Agriculture to set up a program that sends cybersecurity experts to small rural water and wastewater systems. These experts would assess how well each system is protected against cyber attacks, help develop better security plans, and document the current state of their protections.
How it affects you
If you live in or depend on a rural water system serving 10,000 people or fewer, this program could help ensure your water supply is better protected against cyber threats. Rural water systems often lack the resources to handle cybersecurity on their own, so having access to expert assistance could make a real difference in keeping their infrastructure secure.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Mar 13, 2025)
Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a cybersecurity circuit rider program to provide cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water and wastewater systems.
The program must be structured similarly to the USDA Circuit Rider Program. Under this program, USDA provides technical assistance to rural water systems that serve areas with populations of 10,000 or fewer people and are experiencing day-to-day operational, financial, or managerial issues.
Specifically, the cybersecurity circuit rider program must provide technical assistance to rural water or wastewater systems to
• provide rapid assessments of the system's current ability or inability to respond to cybersecurity threats and protect cyber infrastructure,
• develop reasonable protocols to enhance cybersecurity protection,
• provide assistance to address inadequate cyber protection plans, and
• document a system's current state of water supply cyber protection.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 1018
A BILL
Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act
Sponsor: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) · Introduced Mar 13, 2025 · Agriculture and Food · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 13, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.”