Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act
Key claim: HR2109 amends the USDA Circuit Rider Program to add cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people and reauthorizes the program through FY2030.
Abstract
(HR2109 · 119th Congress) Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act This bill amends the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Circuit Rider Program to include cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people. Under the program, USDA provides technical assistance to rural water systems that are experiencing day-to-day operational, financial, or managerial issues. Specifically, the program’s cybersecurity technical assistance must (1) assess system efficacy in protecting against cyber threats; and (2) implement cybersecurity plans, procedures, and technologies to protect against cyber threats. The bill also reauthorizes the Circuit Rider Program through FY2030. Latest action (2025-04-04): Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.
Why this matters
Small rural water utilities are increasingly targeted by cyber intrusions but often lack in-house IT security capacity, and the Circuit Rider Program is one of the few federal channels delivering hands-on operational assistance to systems under 10,000 users. Expanding its remit to cybersecurity — and locking in authorization through FY2030 — signals a shift in USDA rural development toward digital resilience alongside traditional water quality and management support.