At least two municipal water systems in New Jersey were reportedly targeted in a cyberattack that affected utilities across at least a dozen states.

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness did not identify the affected utilities. NJOHSP said the incidents over the past week temporarily disabled automated systems that help monitor and operate water infrastructure.

After that, both utilities shifted to manual operations to ensure there was no disruption to service, the agency said.

“Both systems have since been secured with strengthened access controls. The NJCCIC [New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell] continues working with these utilities and with water systems statewide to reduce the risk of similar incidents going forward,” an agency spokesperson told NJBIZ.

They also noted the office is coordinating directly with the affected utilities alongside federal partners at the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to investigate.

Axios noted the recent spate of incidents could represent “one of the broadest known coordinated cyber campaigns against U.S. municipal water systems to date.”

In a July 30 alert, the FBI reported that several states experienced cyberattacks of water and wastewater systems that control pumps, water pressure and valves in plants. Authorities said hackers remotely accessed internet-connected devices, changed IP address and passwords, and then caused utilities to lose monitoring and control capabilities.

Increasingly at risk of attack

No contamination of drinking water has been reported. However, authorities say the incidents underscore the vulnerability of aging, internet-connected water infrastructure.

They have urged utilities to disconnect unnecessary internet-facing systems and strengthen cybersecurity.

Multiple news outlets reported that some officials suspect the incidents may be part of a broader campaign linked to Iran. President Donald Trump has said he doesn’t “think there was an Iranian cyberattack,” according to Politico.

In March 2023, the NJOHSP’s Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell identified water and wastewater systems as a critical infrastructure that is increasingly at risk of cyberattacks. The agency urged utilities strengthen defenses via measures like multifactor authentication, software updates, employee training and incident response planning.

New Jersey is home to more than 600 community water systems that serve 9.5 million people, the report said.

Editor’s note: This story was updated shortly after publication at 3:17 p.m. Aug. 5, 2026, with more information from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.