Cybersecurity Improvements Assistance

The Cybersecurity Implementation Grant Program uses budgeted funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to support cybersecurity improvements to drinking water and wastewater systems. Specifically, grant money has been used to fund cybersecurity improvement projects to proactively mitigate the risk of cybersecurity attacks on drinking water and/or wastewater systems. Learn more by visiting the Water System Security webpage.

Program Information & Eligibility

  • Drinking Water – Community Public Drinking Water systems serving a minimum of 500 people, excluding privately owned redistribution systems.
  • Wastewater – Municipal wastewater systems regulated with a NPDES permit or Groundwater Discharge Permit.

Up to $50,000 of grant funding is available per drinking water or wastewater system to implement recommendations from a cybersecurity assessment. Maximum grant amount per applicant is $100,000 for a combined drinking water and wastewater system.

Free Cybersecurity Assessments

NHDES has only budgeted ARPA funds to this program for systems that have completed an approved cybersecurity assessment. Cybersecurity assessments must have been completed within two years of the grant application submittal date and must be submitted along with the application.

If you have not already completed a cybersecurity assessment, the EPA and CISA are offering the following FREE assessments for drinking water and wastewater systems:

DHS CISA is available to help drinking water and wastewater systems improve resiliency against cyber threats. CISA cybersecurity assessments are a free resource. If your system is interested in an assessment, please review the DHS CISA assessments and contact Rick Rossi at richard.rossi@cisa.dhs.gov. For any additional questions please contact:

Richard F. Rossi
Cybersecurity Advisor – New Hampshire
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Mobile: 202-770-8991 | Email: richard.rossi@cisa.dhs.gov

EPA is offering free cybersecurity assessments and technical assistance to drinking water systems. For more information and registration, please visit the EPA Water Sector Cybersecurity Evaluation Program.

How to Apply

If you have any questions or need information on how to apply, please contact Brenda.J.Leonard@des.nh.gov.

Please read this additional guidance to assist in determining project eligibility.

Questions? Contact:

Drinking Water
Brenda Leonard
Brenda.J.Leonard@des.nh.gov
(603) 271-0867

Additional Resources