The New York State Senate will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, to examine water security and preparedness with a focus on cybersecurity threats facing New York’s municipal water and wastewater infrastructure. Convened jointly by the Senate committees on Local Government, Cities 1, and Cities 2 – chaired by Sens. Monica R. Martinez, Erik Bottcher, and Chris Ryan – the inquiry follows a series of digital attacks targeting water systems nationwide where suspected state-affiliated actors disrupted operational technology at several municipal facilities.  This proceeding will bring together water system operators, local officials, and cybersecurity experts to discuss emerging risks, evaluate system vulnerabilities across the state, and determine whether existing state resources and technical support are sufficient to protect these essential public services.

The session will take place at 12:00 p.m. in the Senate Hearing Room on the 19th floor at 250 Broadway in New York City.  Oral testimony during the hearing will be by invitation only.

Securing public infrastructure against evolving digital threats remains a central focus for lawmakers.  In 2025, Sen. Martinez sponsored legislation to strengthen how New York municipalities prevent, report, and recover from cyber incidents.  The resulting law mandates rapid reporting of cyber events and ransomware payments to state emergency management officials while requiring annual cybersecurity training for public employees.

Joint – New York State Senate Public Hearing on Water Infrastructure Cybersecurity and Preparedness

Chair: Sen. Monica Martinez, Senate Standing Committee on Local Government
Chair: Sen.Erik Bottcher, Senate Standing Committee on Cities 1
Chair: Sen.Chris Ryan, Senate Standing Committee on Cities 2

Public Hearing: Examining the implementation, fiscal impact, and technical sufficiency of mandatory state water security and wastewater security regulations

Place: Senate Hearing Room, 250 Broadway, 19th Floor, NY, NY 10007

Time: 12:00 p.m.

Contact: James Cuddy (518) 455-2768

Media Contact: Seth Squiccarino (631) 341-7111 ext. 1050 

Oral Testimony by Invitation Only

SUBJECT: Water Security and Preparedness

PURPOSE: This hearing will provide an opportunity for public water system operators, officials, stakeholders, and experts to discuss potential vulnerabilities and the steps needed to prevent a targeted digital attack on their networks.