In other news, the Anaheim (California) City Fire and Rescue Department rescued a man who was trapped 300 feet down a 26-inch diameter manhole near Lincoln Ave. and Interstate 5.
The swift and coordinated efforts of various response teams, bolstered by rigorous training, were crucial in saving the man's life. The city hosts a firefighter training center that specializes in both firefighting and confined space rescues.
White House Warns Governors of Ongoing Water System Cyberattacks
The White House and U.S. EPA recently issued a warning to governors that cyberattacks are increasingly targeting water and wastewater systems throughout the United States, urging their state governments to safeguard critical water infrastructure against cyber threats.
In a letter sent to all U.S. governors, the EPA and White House invited them to a virtual meeting to highlight current federal and state efforts to promote cybersecurity practices in the water sector, discuss priority gaps in these efforts, and emphasize the need for states and water systems to take immediate action.
“The Biden administration has built our national security approach on the foundational integration of foreign and domestic policy, which means elevating our focus on cross-cutting challenges like cybersecurity,” says national security adviser Jake Sullivan. “We’ve worked across government to implement significant cybersecurity standards in our nation’s critical infrastructure, including in the water sector, as we remain vigilant to the risks and costs of cyber threats. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the EPA to bolster the cybersecurity of America’s water and wastewater systems.”
Florida City Introduces Water Meter Mascot
In a great bit of pubic outreach, the City of Sanford (Florida) has unveiled a new mascot, Pearl, to represent its multimillion dollar water meter replacement project. Pearl — named after the iPERL water meter by Sensus - a Xylum brand which is being installed — symbolizes progress and technology in the city's water infrastructure upgrade.
The mascot aims to engage residents throughout the 24-month project. City employees chose the mascot based on a winning design from a graphic design contest. Pearl will be featured on Sanford's social media platforms, websites and in a life-size version displayed in various city buildings.
