Texas launches Project Watershed 250 to secure water infrastructure

The Trump administration and the state of Texas have launched ‘Project Watershed 250,’ a six-month pilot program designed to enhance the cybersecurity of water and wastewater infrastructure. Overseen by the Office of the National Cyber Director and Texas Cyber Command, the initiative utilizes volunteer expertise and technology from private-sector cybersecurity and artificial intelligence companies.

The program aims to test defensive measures, including ‘red teaming’ to evaluate current utility defenses and the implementation of AI-driven tools to harden systems against attacks. National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross stated the project is intended to make critical infrastructure more resilient by leveraging world-class private sector capabilities.

Texas serves as the initial testing ground for this industry-centric model, which is intended to serve as a ‘proof of concept’ for potential expansion to other states. While the program follows recent reports of cyberattacks on municipal water facilities in Minnesota, officials noted that the initiative has been in development since last year as part of a broader national cybersecurity strategy.