ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – New York is supporting local cybersecurity efforts.

On August 5, State Senator Lea Webb announced that over $200,000 is headed to Tompkins County and Cortland County through the Strengthening Essential Cybersecurity for Utilities and Resiliency Enhancements (SECURE) Program.

The money will be used to assess local operations and implement the state’s new minimum cybersecurity standards for drinking water and sewer systems. It will help build more secure systems to protect against hackers.

“Our wastewater and drinking water systems are cornerstones of public health, and it is absolutely critical that we continue to provide localities with funding to help them make improvements,” Webb said. “This funding will help municipalities strengthen their cybersecurity posture against dangerous cyber threats. Clean water is essential to public health, and as infrastructure systems increasingly rely on digital and internet-connected technologies, we must continue to invest in safeguards against cyberattacks.”

Tompkins County Awards

  • Village of Dryden – $25,000 SECURE grant
  • Village of Freeville – $10,000 SECURE grant application
  • City of Ithaca – $25,00 Drinking Water System Cybersecurity Assessment
  • City of Ithaca – $50,000 SECURE grant
  • Village of Trumansburg – $25,000 Wastewater SECURE grant assessment

Cortland County Awards

  • City of Cortland – $25,000 Wastewater Treatment Plant Cybersecurity Assessment
  • City of Cortland – $25,000 Water Treatment Plant Cybersecurity Assessment
  • Town of Virgil – $10,000 Water SECURE grant assessment
  • Town of Virgil – $10,000 Wastewater SECURE grant assessment

It’s part of $9 million to 153 local governments across the state in this round of funding. You can read more from State Senator Lea Webb’s Office here.