Milwaukee Water Works reports no threat to system after cyberattacks in Minnesota, Michigan On July 28, the state sent a memo to every municipal drinking water and wastewater system in the state

Employees at the Linnwood Water Treatment Plant in Milwaukee are working to ensure water from Lake Michigan remains safe to drink as the facility remains on high alert following cyberattacks on water systems in Minnesota and Michigan.

ABC News reported that federal investigators are working to determine if Iran, or hackers associated with Iran, are behind the attacks.


Patrick Pauly, superintendent at Milwaukee Water Works, said the state has alerted all municipal drinking water and wastewater systems in Wisconsin to a potential security threat.

 Cybersecurity has been very, very top of mind for us for many years. And then when the war with Iran began earlier this year, there was a heightened awareness about cybersecurity. So we had also reevaluated the measures that were in place,  Pauly said.

The threat involves devices called Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) that track data, control chemical dosing, and monitor tank levels at water plants. When connected to the internet, hackers can access these devices remotely. However, Milwaukee Water Works does not use the internet for such operations.

 So that vulnerability that was exposed last week in these other states is not something, is something that we are very confident that we are not subject to,  Pauly said.

Pauly added that the city has taken extra measures to ensure the safety of its water systems.

 We also have taken some extra measures to visit our remote sites, confirm that the operations occurring at the remote sites match what are occurring from our control centers,  he said.

The city says everything at the Linnwood Water Treatment Plant is functioning as it should, but officials remain vigilant because any threat to the water system is a threat to the public.

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