Water Systems Are Being Hacked. Is #NewtownPA’s Water Supply Safe?
Cyberattacks are targeting U.S. water systems, raising new concerns about critical infrastructure security. A 2025 PA PUC audit recommended that Newtown Artesian Water Company strengthen physical security, cybersecurity, and emergency response planning. What has the company done since then to protect Newtown’s water supply?
[Reported in the New York Times, 5 August 2026.]
Recent reports reveal that American water infrastructure is currently facing a widespread wave of cyberattacks suspected to be orchestrated by Iranian hackers.
These security breaches have impacted dozens of municipalities across several states, leading to operational disruptions and precautionary measures like boil-water advisories.
Experts suggest that these utilities remain highly vulnerable because many facilities use outdated security protocols and lack the funding or federal oversight necessary to defend against digital threats.
Although the Environmental Protection Agency previously attempted to mandate stricter safety guidelines, those efforts were legally blocked, leaving many systems exposed to remote intrusion.
While no water supplies have been poisoned yet, the scale of the infiltration indicates a significant national security risk to critical public resources. This ongoing crisis highlights a long history of neglected warnings regarding the fragile state of the nation's decentralized water networks.
My Question Is This
Has the Newtown Artesian Water Company taken adequate steps to ensure the safety of the Newtown water supply?
Note that a March 2025 audit by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) recommended that Newtown Artesian improve physical security for its control rooms and control system equipment, and develop formalized physical security, cybersecurity, and emergency incident response plans.
A subsequent research report that evaluated the cybersecurity and operational vulnerabilities of the Newtown Artesian Water Company found it "lacks formalized protocols for responding to digital and physical threats."
Why This Matters for Newtown
The national reports of cyberattacks on water utilities make the concerns raised in the 2025 PA PUC audit especially relevant. The question is no longer simply whether Newtown Artesian has identified potential vulnerabilities. Residents should know what specific improvements have been made since the audit and whether formal cybersecurity and emergency-response procedures are now in place.
This does not mean Newtown's water system has been hacked or that its drinking water is currently unsafe. It does mean that, given the national threat environment and the previously identified security concerns, the public has a legitimate interest in receiving an update.
Residents Need to Know If It's Safe!
Dan Angove, the CEO of the Newtown Artesian Water Company, should come before the Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) and give the public an update on this project AS WELL AS what it is doing to address security risks and prevent hacking of our water supply.
Related Content
Newtown Artesian Water Company versus PFAS in Water Supply – The construction of the PFAS filtering plant has been ongoing for over a year and seems to have stopped since the EPA backed away from requiring lower levels of PFAS in the water. Mr. Angove should also give residents an update on this water safety issue. Listen to this recording of the April 4, 2024, #NewtownPA Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) where Artesian asked for zoning variances to build a PFAS filtration facility:
Editor's Note: Cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure are evolving rapidly. Newtown residents would benefit from a public explanation of the water company's current cybersecurity safeguards, incident-response procedures, system monitoring, and the status of improvements recommended by the PA PUC.
Posted on 07 Aug 2026, 01:44 - Category: Public Safety
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