FLOWS Act would fund cyber upgrades for rural water utilities

A bipartisan bill introduced to Congress last week would help small and rural water utilities adopt modern cybersecurity protections and digital monitoring tools.

The Futureproofing Local Operations for Water Systems, or FLOWS, Act, introduced by Sens. John Boozman, R-Ark., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., would create a federal grant program to help rural communities upgrade water, wastewater and stormwater systems with updated industrial control systems and adopt modern technologies like real-time sensing tools, artificial intelligence software and advanced modeling platforms.

The legislation would authorize $50 million annually for Environmental Protection Agency grants, aiding communities with limited resources. The bill would not require a local funding match, a major barrier for small utilities with limited ratepayer bases. It would also allow grants to cover both the purchase and ongoing maintenance of software, to help ensure upgrades remain sustainable.

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