Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act updates the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act's national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program. Circuit rider assistance must include cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 persons. That assistance must help systems assess how well they protect against cyber threats and implement cybersecurity plans, procedures, and technologies. The bill also updates authorization levels from the old fiscal year 2019 through 2023 amount to $32.5 million for each fiscal year 2026 through 2030, with $7.5 million of each year's amount reserved for cybersecurity technical assistance.
Who Benefits and How
Rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people benefit from dedicated cybersecurity technical assistance. Customers of small rural water systems benefit if utilities reduce cyber risks that could disrupt safe water service. Rural water circuit rider providers benefit from a larger authorized program and a cybersecurity role. USDA rural development staff benefit from clearer authorization to fund cybersecurity assistance through an existing delivery channel.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Rural water system operators must assess cyber protections and implement plans, procedures, and technologies. USDA must administer the updated authorization and reserve $7.5 million annually for cybersecurity assistance. Circuit rider technical assistance providers must add cybersecurity expertise to rural water support. Federal taxpayers fund the $32.5 million annual authorization from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
Key Provisions
- Adds cybersecurity technical assistance to the rural water and wastewater circuit rider program.
- Targets rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people.
- Requires assistance to assess cyber-threat protection and implement plans, procedures, and technologies.
- Authorizes $32.5 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
- Reserves $7.5 million annually for cybersecurity technical assistance.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Adds cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people to the national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program and authorizes $32.5 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including $7.5 million annually for cybersecurity assistance.
Key Policy Areas
Cybersecurity, Rural Water, Infrastructure
Primary Purpose
Adds cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people to the national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program and authorizes $32.5 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including $7.5 million annually for cybersecurity assistance.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Small rural water systems
- Rural water customers
- Circuit rider providers
- USDA rural development staff
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Rural water system operators
- Department of Agriculture
- Cybersecurity assistance providers
- Federal taxpayers
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and …
Mr. Davis of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. Nunn …
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Introduced in House
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology